LIBRARY 

OF   THK 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

OTKT  OF  x 


Received 
Accession  No. 


Class  No. 


THE    PROCEEDINGS 


OF  THE 


FIRST  ANNUAL   MEETING 

OF  THE 

NATIONAL  CONFERENCE 


ON 


UNIVERSITY    EXTENSION, 


HELD   IN 


PHILADELPHIA,  DECEMBER   29-31,  1891, 

UNDER  THE  AUSPICES   OF 

THE  AMERICAN  SOCIETY  FOR  THE  EXTENSION 
OF  UNIVERSITY  TEACHING. 

COMPILED   BY 

GEORGE   FRANCIS   JAMES,   M.A., 

EDITOR  OF 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY. 
1892. 


, 1 

V 


Copyrighted,  1892,  by 
The  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching. 


PRINTED  BY  J.   B.  LIPPINCOTT  COHTPANY,  PHILADELPHIA. 


oar 


PREFACE. 


THE  first  year  of  Extension  teaching  in  America  was  devoted 
to  spreading  a  knowledge  of  the  system  and  undertaking  experi- 
ments under  various  conditions.  The  results  showed  the  need 
of  thoughtful  conference  and  discussion  on  the  part  of  those 
engaged  in  the  work,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  year, 
the  suggestion  for  a  National  Conference  on  University  Exten- 
sion came  to  the  American  Society  almost  simultaneously  from 
many  parts  of  the  United  States. 

It  seems  almost  incredible,  looking  back,  that  within  one  year  of 
the  time  when  the  first  centre  of  Extension  teaching  was  established 
in  Philadelphia,  on  November  3,  1890,  more  than  two  hundred 
such  experiments  were  being  carried  on  in  nearly  every  State  of 
the  Union.  We  can  attribute  this  only  to  the  well-developed 
system  of  Extension  teaching  which  had  grown  up  in  the  course 
of  more  than  a  score  of  years'  experiment  in  England,  and  the 
possibility  of  transferring  it  bodily  to  our  soil. 

Another  consideration  that  presents  itself  is  the  wide-spread 
need  of  exactly  such  opportunities  as  are  offered  in  systematic 
Extension  teaching.  These  two  conditions,  however,  alone  do 
not  suffice  to  explain  the  phenomenal  growth  of  this  movement, 
and  we  must  look  for  the  explanation  to  a  third  fact,  well  pre- 
sented by  A.  E.  Winship,  editor  of  the  New  England  Journal  of 
Education,  in  a  recent  number  of  University  Extension.*  A 
careful  consideration  of  many  experiments  in  American  educa- 
tion previous  to  1890  reveals  to  us  a  peculiar  ripeness  of  condi- 
tions for  this  movement ;  in  other  words,  many  had  unconsciously 
been  doing  Extension  teaching  in  a  more  or  less  adequate  way. 
Some  had  caught  one  idea  of  this  system,  others  another,  and 

*  Cf.   University  Extension,  February,  1892. 


4         The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

each  one  in  his  own  way  was  sowing  seed  which  favorable  con- 
ditions brought  to  quick  maturity. 

When  the  American  Society  entered  upon  its  educational  cam- 
paign, it  was  favored  by  all  these  circumstances,  and  it  was  pos- 
sible to  accomplish  within  one  year,  through  the  enlightened 
generosity  of  many  eminent  citizens  of  Philadelphia,  more  than 
might  fairly  have  been  expected  in  thrice  that  length  of  time. 
All  that  could  be  done  by  the  spread  of  carefully-prepared  circu- 
lars and  pamphlets,  and  in  more  than  a  dozen  States  by  the  per- 
sonal and  active  work  of  its  organizers,  the  American  Society 
achieved.  In  the  course  of  practical  experiments,  however, 
under  widely  varying  conditions,  it  became  evident,  as  has  already 
been  remarked,  that  the  most  careful  consideration  and  discussion 
of  those  familiar  with  different  sections,  could  alone  lead  to  the 
best  results. 

In  answer,  then,  to  many  requests,  the  American  Society  re- 
solved to  issue  invitations  for  a  general  meeting  in  Philadelphia 
during  the  Christmas  holidays.  It  was  felt  that  there  should  be 
a  thorough  representation,  not  only  of  all  interested  in  Extension 
teaching,  and  in  university  and  college  work,  but  of  all  inter- 
ested in  any  way  in  every  branch  of  the  public  school  system 
and  in  general  education.  The  truth  is  gradually  becoming 
more  and  more  evident  that  education  is,  and  should  be  felt  to 
be,  of  the  utmost  import  to  every  American  citizen,  and  that 
every  effort  for  the  strengthening  of  our  educational  system  along 
any  line,  is  of  the  highest  interest  to  all  concerned  with  it 
on  any  other.  Especially  is  this  true  of  the  movement  for  Uni- 
versity Extension,  since  it  depends  for  its  success  on  the  most 
sympathetic  co-operation  of  all  our  higher  institutions  of  learn- 
ing, and  on  the  heartiest  sympathy  and  action  of  the  people  as  a 
whole,  and,  it  is  needless  to  add,  on  those  educators  most  closely 
identified  with  the  masses.  We  are  endeavoring  to  bring  the  ideals 
and  the  methods  of  university  training,  as  far  as  possible,  to  every 
American,  and  in-doing  this  need  the  assistance  of  all  parties. 

Another  reason  was  felt  to  point  strongly  to  the  advisability 
of  general  representation  at  the  Conference,  and  that  was  the 
influence  of  University  Extension  upon  the  general  education  of 


Preface.  5 

the  country.  Experience  has  invariably  shown  that  wherever  a 
centre  of  Extension  teaching  is  established  there  interest  is 
aroused,  not  only  in  the  particular  subject  or  subjects  of  instruc- 
tion, but  in  the  general  field  of  human  Knowledge  and  in  the 
great  problem  of  public  education.  It  has  been  the  constant  and 
earnest  injunction  of  the  American  Society  to  all  its  lecturers  to 
advance  the  interests,  not  only  of  Extension  teaching  and  of 
their  own  especial  subject,  but  of  science  and  literature,  of  the 
public  school  system,  of  the  American  college  and  American 
university,  and  to  repeat,  of  education  itself  in  the  broadest  and 
truest  sense.  Accordingly,  the  American  Society  issued  its  invi- 
tation, not  only  to  its  own  centres  and  to  the  affiliated  societies 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  but  to  every  college  and  university, 
to  the  representatives  of  the  great  public  school  system,  to  the 
leading  clergymen  of  all  denominations,  and,  indeed,  to  all  inter- 
ested in  the  advance  of  civilization  as  promoted  by  any  line  of 
human  effort. 

The  response  was  gratifying  in  the  extreme.  At  this  first 
general  meeting  on  University  Extension,  there  were  present 
delegates  from  twenty  States,  representing,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
list  of  those  present,  half  a  hundred  of  our  best  institutions  of 
learning.  Every  centre  of  Extension  teaching  which  has  so  far 
been  established  in  the  country  was  represented  either  person- 
ally or  by  a  written  report  submitted  to  the  Conference. 

In  arranging  the  programme  for  the  Conference,  it  was  the  desire 
of  the  Committee  to  emphasize,  in  accordance  with  many  re- 
quests, the  practical  side  of  this  work,  and  to  give  the  opportunity 
at  the  same  time,  in  connection  with  the  various  papers  presented, 
for  the  freest  discussion  of  principles  and  comparison  of  results. 
The  Society  was  especially  fortunate  in  the  presence  of  Michael 
E.  Sadler,  secretary  of  the  Oxford  Delegacy,  who,  on  its  invi- 
tation, came  to  attend  the  Conference  and  spend  several  weeks 
in  strengthening  the  system  among  us.  The  Society  was  thus 
fulfilling  one  of  its  main  functions,  as  was  well  indicated,  at  the 
first  session,  by  Provost  Pepper  in  his  address  of  welcome. 

An  idea  of  some  of  the  results  of  the  National  Conference 
may  be  drawn  from  the  proceedings  reported  in  this  volume. 


6         The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Many,  however,  defy  an  effort  to  put  them  in  such  tangible  form, 
and  could  only  be  gained  by  personal  conversation  with  the  dele- 
gates present,  and  by  seeing  with  what  enthusiasm  they  expressed 
their  thorough  satisfaction  with  the  Conference,  and  the  great 
pleasure  they  had  in  attending  and  reaping  the  advantages  offered. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  one  went  home  without  bearing  with 
him,  for  the  benefit  of  his  own  section,  a  clearer  idea  of  the 
special  principles  of  this  system  and  a  deep  impression  of  the 
utmost  necessity  of  united  and  systematic  effort  on  the  part  of 
its  friends. 

Philadelphia  has  a  well-established  reputation  as  a  favorite 
meeting-place  of  such  conventions,  and  the  hospitality  of  its 
citizens  is  far-famed.  To  the  delegates,  however,  of  the  National 
Conference  it  extended  an  exceptionally  warm  welcome,  and 
fairly  outdid  itself  in  hospitality.  The  social  features  of  a 
National  Conference,  especially  of  educators,  have  ever  been  a 
source  of  pleasure  and  profit.  The  evening  receptions  tendered 
the  delegates  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  at  the  Art  Club  and 
at  the  Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts,  were  typical  of  what  such 
meetings  should  be. 

It  was  the  unanimous  thought  of  all  present  that,  in  arranging 
and  carrying  out  the  National  Conference,  the  American  Society 
had  added  one  more  characteristic  benefit  to  the  cause  of  Uni- 
versity Extension  in  America,  and  had  at  the  same  time  secured, 
in  great  measure,  the  success  of  similar  meetings  in  the  future. 


CONTENTS. 


PACK 

PREFACE 3 

MINUTES  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE 9 

ADDRESSES. 

ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME.     By  Provost  William  Pepper,  University  of 

Pennsylvania 15 

THE  PLACE  OF  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION    IN   AMERICAN   EDUCATION. 
By  Hon.  William  T.  Harris,  Commissioner  of  Education,  United 

States      18 

CHAUTAUQUA   AND    UNIVERSITY    EXTENSION.     By  Bishop  John  H. 

Vincent 32 

THE  CHURCH  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.     By  Rev.  Dr.  John  S. 

Macintosh 38 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  AND  THE  YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN   ASSO- 
CIATION.    By  Walter  C.  Douglas,  General  Secretary,  Philadelphia.      45 
THE  COLLEGES  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.     By  President  Charles 

DeGarmo,  Swarthmore  College 51 

A  PROBLEM  IN  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.  By  Secretary  Melvil  Dewey.  54 
THE  CITY  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.  By  Samuel  Wagner  ...  59 
THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.  By  Secretary 

Michael  E.  Sadler 63 

THE  UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION   LECTURER.     By  Professor  Edmund  J. 

James 89 

THE  IDEAL  SYLLABUS.     By  Henry  W.  Rolfe,  M.A 107 

THE  ORGANIZATION  AND  FUNCTION  OF  LOCAL  CENTRES.     By  Secre- 
tary Michael  E.  Sadler 113 

SOME   EXTENSION    EXPERIMENTS  IN   AMERICAN   HISTORY.    By  Pro- 
fessor James  A.  Woodburn 122 

HISTORY  AS  AN  EXTENSION  STUDY.  By  Professor  Wilfred  H.  Munro.  130 
THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  CLASS.  By  Edward  T.  Devine,  M.A.  .  135 
UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  CINCINNATI.  By  Professor  W.  O.  Sproull .  144 
THE  STATE  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION.  By  Ralph  W.  Thomas, 

A.M , IS2 

7 


8  Contents. 

REPORTS. 

PAGE 

MAINE,  VERMONT,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE,  AND  MASSACHUSETTS    .   .   .   .    157 

RHODE  ISLAND.     By  Professor  Wilfred  H.  Munro 158 

CONNECTICUT.     By  Professor  H.  E.  Bourne 160 

CONNECTICUT.     By  Rev.  F.  B.  Hartranft 162 

NEW  YORK,  NEW  JERSEY 167 

DELAWARE,  PENNSYLVANIA,  MARYLAND 168 

VIRGINIA.    By  W.  Roy  Stephenson 169 

WEST  VIRGINIA.     By  Professor  Howard  N.  Ogden 170 

GEORGIA.     By  Professor  H.  C.  White 173 

LOUISIANA,  TENNESSEE 176 

KENTUCKY 177 

OHIO 178 

INDIANA.     By  Professor  James  A.  Woodburn 182 

MICHIGAN.     By  Professor  Isaac  N.  Demmon 190 

MICHIGAN.     By  Secretary  Henry  A.  Ford 193 

ILLINOIS 193 

WISCONSIN.     By  Professor  Edward  A.  Birge 196 

WISCONSIN.     By  President  R.  C.  Spencer 199 

MINNESOTA.     By  Professor  Harry  P.  Judson 201 

IOWA - 205 

KANSAS  AND  MISSOURI.     By  Professor  Frank  W.  Blackmar 206 

COLORADO,  WYOMING 216 

CALIFORNIA 217 

CANADA 218 

REPORT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  SOCIETY.     By  George  Henderson,    Gen- 
eral Secretary 221 

LIST  OF  DELEGATES  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE 265 

APPENDIX  A. — UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  NEW  YORK.    By  Secretary 

Melvil  Dewey 269 

APPENDIX  B. — GENERAL  ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  SOCIETY.    288 


THE   MINUTES 


OF   THE 


NATIONAL  CONFERENCE. 


THE  First  Annual  Meeting  of  the  National  Conference  on  Uni- 
versity Extension  opened  its  sessions  in  Philadelphia  on  Tuesday, 
December  29,  1891,  at  4.30  P.M.,  in  Association  Hall,  corner  of 
Fifteenth  and  Chestnut  Streets,  at  the  head-quarters  of  the  Amer- 
ican Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching.  The  first 
session  was  devoted  to  a  model  Extension  lecture,  the  second  of 
a  course  delivered  by  Michael  E.  Sadler,  of  Oxford,  on  "The 
Change  in  Political  Economy."  The  special  topic  was  the 
doctrines  of  St.  Simon,  and  the  reaction  against  critical  political 
economy.  The  lecture  was  followed  by  the  regular  Extension 
class. 

In  the  evening,  at  eight  o'clock,  a  reception  was  tendered  the 
delegates  of  the  National  Conference  and  the  members  of  the 
American  Society  of  Biblical  Literature  and  Exegesis,  at  the  Art 
Club. 

On  Wednesday,  the  morning  session,  at  9.30,  was  opened  by 
an  address  of  welcome  from  Dr.  William  Pepper,  Provost  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  followed  by  the  Hon. 
William  T.  Harris,  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education, 
who  chose  for  his  subject  "The  Place  of  University  Extension 
in  American  Education."  President  James  MacAlister,  of  the 
Drexel  Institute,  gave  an  address  on  "University  Extension  and 
the  Public  School  System."  The  work  of  Chautauqua  in  public 
education  was  presented  by  Bishop  John  H.  Vincent,  Chancellor 

9 


io       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

of  the  Chautauqua  University.  The  relation  of  the  Church  to  Uni- 
versity Extension  was  treated  by  Rev.  John  S.  Macintosh,  D.D. 
Mr.  Walter  C.  Douglas,  General  Secretary  of  the  Philadelphia 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  spoke  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  and  University  Extension.  The  session 
was  closed  by  Secretary  Melvil  Dewey,  of  Albany,  with  an  ad- 
dress on  the  work  of  University  Extension  as  conducted  by  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

At  the  close  of  the  morning  session,  a  meeting  of  the  Council 
of  the  American  Society  was  held,  and  a  report  was  made  of  the 
incorporation  of  the  Society  and  of  the  general  plan  of  manage- 
ment under  a  Board  of  Directors,  chosen  by  the  corporation,  and 
an  Executive  Committee  of  twelve,  six  chosen  by  the  Board  of 
Directors  and  six  by  the  members  of  the  Council ;  the  Council 
itself  being  composed  of  the  President,  and  one  other  repre- 
sentative from  each  college  and  university  co-operating  with  the 
American  Society. 

At  three  o'clock  on  Wednesday  afternoon  the  deliberations  of 
the  Conference  were  continued  with  an  address,  by  Mr.  Sadler, 
on  the  "Development  of  University  Extension."  The  discus- 
sion* which  followed  was  participated  in  by  President  William 
H.  Black,  Missouri  Valley  College,  Missouri ;  President  Thomas 
Fell,  St.  John's  College,  Maryland ;  Rev.  Dr.  W.  W.  Newton, 
Pittsfield,  Mass.;  Mr.  H.  H.  Hay,  Girard  College;  Rev.  Mr. 
Lamb,  Moorestown,  N.  J. ;  Dr.  James  MacAlister,  of  Philadel- 
phia; Rev.  J.  Max  Hark,  Lancaster,  Pa.;  and  Dr.  Edward  H. 
Magill,  Swarthmore  College. 

Mr.  P.  J.  McGuire,  representing  President  Gumpers  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor,  gave  a  short  address  expressing 
the  sympathy  of  the  trade  organizations  of  America  with  the 
purposes  and  methods  of  this  movement. 

"The  University  Extension  Lecturer"  was  the  subject  of  a 
paper  by  President  Edmund  J.  James,  of  the  American  Society, 


*  The  remarks  of  those  taking  part  in  the  discussion  will  be  found  in  their 
proper  place  in  the  Proceedings,  except  where  there  was  a  failure  on  the  part 
of  the  speaker  to  hand  them  to  the  Secretary. 


Minutes.  1 1 

discussed  by  Mr.  Bourne,  of  the  Norwich  Free  Academy,  Nor- 
wich, Conn. 

Mr.  Henry  W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  read 
the  last  paper  of  the  afternoon  on  "  The  Ideal  Syllabus,"  which 
was  discussed  by  Professor  Felix  E.  Schelling  and  the  Rev.  John 
S.  Macintosh. 

At  8  P.M.,  on  Wednesday,  a  reception  was  given  the  members 
of  the  American  Society  and  the  visiting  delegates  by  Bryn 
Mawr  College,  Haverford  College,  Swarthmore  College,  and  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  at  the  Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts. 
The  reception  was  one  of  the  largest  and  most  brilliant  of  the 
season,  and  was  attended  by  more  than  a  thousand  guests. 

On  Thursday,  at  9.30  A.M.,  Mr.  Sadler  gave  a  second  address 
on  the  "Function  and  Organization  of  Local  Centres."  The 
discussion  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Henry  W.  Rolfe,  Rev.  John 
S.  Macintosh,  Mrs.  Kimball,  President  Charles  DeGarmo,  Secre- 
tary Melvil  Dewey,  and  Professor  W.  A.  Merrill,  of  Miami  Uni- 
versity. 

Dr.  James  Albert  Woodburn,  Professor  of  American  History 
in  Indiana  University,  read  a  paper  on  "Some  Experiences  as 
an  Extension  Lecturer,"  and  was  followed  by  Professor  Wilfred 
H.  Munro,  of  Brown  University,  who  discussed  "  History  as  an 
Extension  Study."  The  succeeding  remarks  were  made  by  Pro- 
fessor E.  P.  Cheyney,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Dr. 
Edward  H.  Magill,  and  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine. 

The  last  session  of  the  Conference,  on  Thursday,  at  3  P.M.,  was 
devoted  first  to  a  discussion  of  the  "  University  Extension  Class," 
the  leading  paper  being  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Lecturer  of  the 
American  Society.  Remarks  were  made  on  this  subject  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Douglas,  of  Philadelphia,  Professor  H.  N.  Ogden,  of  the 
University  of  West  Virginia,  Dr.  W.  Clarke  Robinson,  Professor 
James  A.  Woodburn,  Secretary  Melvil  Dewey,  and  Mr.  M.  E. 
Sadler. 

Reports  of  progress  in  Extension  work  were  made  by  President 
William  H.  Black,  for  Kansas  and  Missouri;  Professor  Leslie 
A.  Lee,  Bowdoin  College,  for  Maine ;  Professor  W.  H.  Munro, 
of  Brown  University,  for  Rhode  Island;  Rev.  F.  B.  Hartranft, 


1 2       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Hartford  Theological  Seminary,  for  Connecticut;  Secretary 
George  Henderson,  for  Pennsylvania;  Professor  Howard  N. 
Ogden  for  West  Virginia ;  Professor  W.  O.  Sproull,  University 
of  Cincinnati,  for  Ohio ;  Professor  James  A.  Woodburn,  Uni- 
versity of  Indiana,  for  Indiana;  Professor  A.  V.  E.  Young, 
Northwestern  University,  and  President  Carl  Johann,  Eureka 
College,  for  Illinois;  Professor  M.  E.  San  ford,  University  of 
Minnesota,  for  Minnesota;  President  D.  B.  Kerr,  University 
of  Omaha,  for  Nebraska.  From  the  other  centres  of  Extension 
teaching  came  written  reports,  which  are  printed  in  their  proper 
place  in  this  volume. 

The  relation  of  the  American  college  to  University  Extension 
was  ably  treated  by  President  Charles  DeGarmo,  of  Swarthmore 
College,  and  the  best  form  of  organization  of  the  movement  in 
a  large  city,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Wagner,  of  Philadelphia. 

The  closing  paper  of  the  Conference  was  by  Mr.  Ralph  W. 
Thomas,  Chief  Examiner  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  on  the  appropriation  by  the  New  York  Legislature  of  ten 
thousand  dollars  to  University  Extension,  and  on  the  means  by 
which  this  was  gained. 

Rev.  Dr.  John  S.  Macintosh,  of  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  American  Society,  moved  the  thanks  of  the  Conference  to 
the  Hon.  William  T.  Harris,  Commissioner  of  Education,  for  his 
address  on  "The  Place  of  University  Extension  in  American 
Education,"  and  his  kindness  in  presiding  at  the  sessions  of  the 
Conference  on  Wednesday,  and  to  President  Edmund  J.  James, 
who  had,  at  so  much  expense  of  time  and  effort,  secured  the 
thorough  success  of  the  Conference.  Mr.  Sadler  remarked  that 
it  was  certainly  the  most  important  and  successful  meeting  on 
University  Extension  which  had  ever  been  held,  either  in  this 
country  or  abroad. 

Dr.  Edmund  J.  James  closed  the  Conference  with  congratula- 
tions to  the  delegates  present,  on  the  valuable  results  accomplished, 
and  with  the  pledge,  on  the  part  of  the  American  Society,  to  con- 
tribute in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  its  undivided  labors  to  the 
furthering  of  this  great  cause,  and  to  give  its  hearty  co-operation 
to  all  bodies  and  institutions  in  their  efforts  in  this  direction. 


ADDRESSES. 


ADDRESSES. 


ADDRESS   OF   WELCOME. 

BY   WILLIAM    PEPPER,  M.D.,  LL.D., 
Provost  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

IT  is  with  no  common  pleasure  that,  as  the  representative  of 
the  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching, 
I  stand  here  to  announce  the  opening  of  its  first  annual  mid- 
winter conference,  and  to  extend  to  the  delegates  to  this  confer- 
ence, and  to  all  members  of  the  Society,  a  most  cordial  welcome. 
The  educational  problems  connected  with  University  Extension 
have  multiplied  so  rapidly  in  this  country,  and  the  people  are  so 
widely  awake  to  the  real  importance  of  them,  that  a  general 
desire  has  been  expressed  for  their  free  discussion  at  certain 
stated  intervals.  The  arrangement  of  such  a  conference  is  one 
of  the  important  functions  of  the  American  Society,  and  the 
simplicity  and  broad  scope  of  this  organization  are  well  adapted 
to  the  purposes  it  must  serve. 

It  is  no  longer  an  assumption  to  assert  that  every  portion  of 
our  vast  country  is  genuinely  interested  in  University  Extension, 
and  recognizes  more  or  less  clearly  that  the  movement  is  to  play 
a  great  part  in  the  higher  education  of  our  people  in  the  future. 
The  amount  of  money  expended  in  the  various  States  will  depend 
upon  many  conditions,  but  it  is  hoped  that,  owing  to  the  largely 
self-supporting  character  of  the  Local  Centre  work,  a  sum  of,  say 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  or  even  ten  thousand  dollars,  per  annum 
can  be  made  to  accomplish  large  results  in  any  single  State.  It 
can  scarcely  be  doubted  that  such  a  sum  or  more  can  be  raised,  in 
each  State  of  the  Union,  to  secure  for  the  community  the  ad- 
vantages of  well-organized  and  vigorously-conducted  University 
Extension  work.  The  precedent  established  by  the  legislature  of 
the  Empire  State  will  doubtless  be  followed  wherever  the  law  per- 
mits such  appropriations;  but  experience  has  already  shown  that, 
for  the  conduct  of  the  General  Society,  a  considerable  annual  sum 

'5 


1 6       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

is  required,  which  must  be  derived  from  sources  quite  apart  from 
the  appropriations  for  State  work.  The  expenses  of  the  General 
Offices,  which  must  serve  as  a  bureau  of  information  for  the  entire 
country ;  the  management  of  the  Home  Study  system  correspond- 
ence; the  provision  of  University  Extension  literature,  which 
has  to  be  liberally  paid  for  and  to  be  sold  at  barely  cost  prices ; 
the  publication  of  the  University  Extension  Journal,  which  de- 
mands, in  its  editorial  department,  highly-paid  talent  and  yet 
must  be  sold  at  a  rate  that  brings  it  within  the  easy  reach  of  all ; 
the  importation  of  University  Extension  lecturers  of  distinction, 
who  may  be  sent  to  special  fields  where  their  services  are  most 
needed, — these  and  other  requirements  will  necessitate  a  con- 
siderable annual  expenditure  for  the  adequate  support  of  the 
American  Society. 

The  Board  of  Trustees,  consisting  of  fifteen  members,  which 
is  provided  for  by  the  charter  of  our  Society,  is  therefore  charged 
with  the  duty  of  creating  and  fostering  the  growth  of  a  perma- 
nent endowment  fund ;  of  securing  an  adequate  increase  in  the 
membership  of  the  Society;  and  of  maintaining  a  guarantee 
fund  of  proper  proportions  until,  from  the  growth  of  the  endow- 
ment and  the  increased  membership,  a  permanent  income  suffi- 
cient to  defray  all  working  expenses  is  provided.  To  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  which  is  appointed  partly  by  the  Board  of 
Trustees  and  partly  by  the  General  Council,  are  intrusted  the 
executive  details.  Upon  the  close  and  intelligent  attention  given 
by  this  committee  to  the  important  work  intrusted  to  it  will  de- 
pend the  maintenance  of  the  high  educational  standard  of  the 
Society.  The  method  of  constituting  this  committee  will,  it  is 
believed,  fully  insure  its  object. 

The  General  Council  of  the  Society  consists  of  one  represen- 
tative besides  the  President  of  each  college  in  the  United  States 
and  in  Canada,  together  with  the  Superintendents  of  Public 
Education  in  each  State,  who  are  ex-officio  members.  The 
regular  meetings  of  the  Council  will  occur  during  the  last  week 
of  each  year,  at  the  annual  midwinter  conferences  in  this  city. 
The  plan  of  organization  adopted  relieves  this  Conference  of  all 
petty  details  of  business,  and  thus  enables  it  to  devote  uninter- 


Address  of  Welcome.  17 

rupted  attention  to  the  scientific  discussion  of  the  educational 
principles  and  methods  which  should  be  adopted  in  our  Uni- 
versity Extension  work  so  as  to  secure  the  highest  standard  and 
the  most  effective  results.  The  entire  country  will  follow  with 
deep  interest  the  deliberations  that  occur  here  now  and  hereafter. 
To  the  suggestions  and  conclusions  which  flow  from  our  discus- 
sions, all  of  us  will  look  for  light  and  leading  in  the  new  and 
difficult  path  upon  which  we  have  entered. 

One  important  official  act  must  be  discharged,  each  year,  by 
the  General  Council  of  delegates,  at  their  conference.  This  is 
the  election  of  six  members  to  serve  upon  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee for  the  ensuing  year. 

At  the  close  of  this  morning's  session,  a  meeting  of  the  Coun- 
cil will  be  held  for  this  purpose,  and  all  members  of  the  Council 
are  particularly  invited  to  attend  the  meeting. 

It  will  be  seen,  from  the  brief  sketch  I  have  given  of  the 
organization  and  functions  of  the  American  Society,  that  it  has 
no  aim  or  pretension  to  interfere  with,  to  supersede  or  to  take 
charge  of,  University  Extension  work  in  any  State.  It  holds 
itself  ready  to  offer  advice,  information,  and  assistance  to  those 
who  are  engaged,  in  any  locality,  in  organizing  the  work.  A 
bulletin  will  be  issued,  within  a  few  days,  giving  full  details  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  such  advice,  information,  and  assistance 
can  be  most  rapidly  and  efficiently  utilized. 

Although  the  plan  of  organization  of  the  American  Society 
.ias  been  promulgated  so  recently,  it  is  a  matter  of  sincere  con- 
gratulation that  membership  in  the  Council  has  already  been 
accepted,  officially,  by  the  Presidents  of  over  one  hundred 
American  colleges. 

I  shall  not  detain  you  longer  from  the  important  discussions 
of  special  features  of  the  work  which  are  to  follow.  It  is 
enough  to  feel  assured  that  the  organization  which  has  been 
effected,  comprehensive  and  flexible  as  it  is,  is  so  well  adapted 
to  the  work  before  us  all  that,  with  continued  cordial  co-opera- 
tion, it  will  prove  equal  to  the  great  demands  that  may  be  made 
upon  it. 


THE    PLACE   OF   UNIVERSITY    EXTENSION    IN 
AMERICAN   EDUCATION. 

BY   HON.   WILLIAM   T.    HARRIS, 
Commissioner  of  Education,  United  States. 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN,  DELEGATES  TO  THE  NATIONAL  CON- 
FERENCE ON  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION, — I  have  been  requested  to 
direct  my  remarks  to  the  general  bearings  of  the  question  of  Uni- 
versity Extension.  I  shall  therefore  offer  some  considerations 
regarding  the  threefold  structure  of  our  educational  system  into 
elementary,  secondary,  and  higher  education,  and  discuss  the 
general  features  which  distinguish  each  grade.  I  shall  endeavor 
to  show  that  higher  education  is  the  sanest  and  healthiest  form  of 
education,  because  it  gives  the  student  the  means  of  correcting  one- 
sided views.  It  gives  him  the  method  of  study  which  compares  one 
science  with  another  and  one  branch, of  learning  with  another, 
and  always  bears  in  mind  the  important  question,  How  does  this 
element  of  knowledge  relate  to  the  conduct  of  human  life  ?  From 
this  point  of  view,  I  shall  explain  why  University  Extension 
seems  to  me  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  movements  in  our 
time.  An  exhibition  of  the  fragmentary  nature  of  elementary 
education  and  the  necessity  which  has  caused  this  fragmentary 
character  to  adhere  to  it,  will  make  it  evident,  I  hope,  that  the 
directors  of  higher  education  have  a  sacred  duty  to  perform  in 
extending,  by  all  legitimate  means,  the  spirit  of  their  methods 
into  the  studies  which  the  adult  population  carry  on  by  means  of 
the  newspaper,  the  periodical,  and  the  book,  throughout  life. 

Let  me  ask  your  attention,  first,  to  the  general  aspects  of  our 
civilization.  Let  us  consider  the  active  means  at  work  to  pro- 
duce cosmopolitan  civilization  and  obliterate  local  and  provincial 
peculiarities. 

The  most  striking  characteristic  of  our  modern  civilization  is 
that  which  has  to  do  with  the  intercommunication  of  one  people 
with  another.     The  wonders  of  modern  invention  are  to  be  found 
18 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      19 

especially  in  this  field  of  human  activity.  In  the  first  place,  the 
facilities  for  travel  by  land  and  by  sea  bring  together  a  greater 
and  greater  number  of  people  in  each  succeeding  year.  Think 
of  the  increase  of  the  number  of  Americans  that  have  visited 
Europe, — of  the  number  of  Europeans  that  have  visited  America. 
Think  of  the  increasing  number  of  people  residing  in  the  At- 
lantic slope  who  have  visited  the  cities  of  the  Mississippi  Valley 
and  the  far-off  Pacific  Coast.  The  personal  presence  and  the 
humane,  friendly  interest  of  foreign  people  in  this  country  form 
a  perpetual  educative  influence,  converting  our  people  to  cos- 
mopolitan views  and  sympathies.  But  the  educative  influence  of 
travel  is  small  compared  with  that  of  intercommunication  by 
means  of  letters  and  literature.  In  our  time  we  have  seen  epic, 
dramatic,  and  lyric  literature  retire  into  the  background  before 
the  novel  or  romance  as  a  literary  work  of  art.  The  novel  has 
been  called  the  prose  epic,  or  the  epic  of  commonplace, 
middle-class  citizens.  But  the  novel  in  our  time  has  extended 
its  gamut  from  the  description  of  society  manners  and  customs 
and  the  petty  events  of  courtship  and  marriage  to  the  all-including 
scientific  and  historical  movements  which  constitute  the  highest 
fields  of  intellectual  labor.  In  the  modern  novel  we  have  Shake- 
speare's mirror,  that  is  held  up  to  reflect  society  and  the  individ- 
ual. We  have  the  painting  of  the  slums,  the  demi-monde,  the  pro- 
cesses of  the  schools,  the  Church ;  we  have  fully-colored  pictures 
of  ancient  historic  life,  long  buried,  and  brought  to  life  only  by 
the  labors  of  archaeology ;  we  have  a  series  of  historical  pictures, 
growing  rapidly  to  a  great  gallery  of  paintings,  illustrating  mediae- 
val times,  the  beginnings  of  modern  times,  and,  finally,  the  events 
of  a  century  ago, — Tolstoi's  Napoleonic  wars,  the  Crimean  war, 
Walter  Scott's  historical  pictures;  Victor  Hugo,  Thackeray,  and 
a  thousand  writers  less  significant  and  still  important.  Each 
reading  public  learns  to  know  the  character  and  motives  of  its 
fellow-men  in  far-off  countries  or  far-off  epochs.  Out  of  this 
comes  the  feeling  of  the  solidarity  of  the  human  race.  Every 
one  feels  that  there  is  nothing  human  that  he  can  consider  to  be 
entirely  strange  to  him.  But  even  the  novel  is  not  to  be  com- 
pared, in  its  influence,  with  the  daily  newspaper  and  periodical 


2O       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

press  as  an  instrument  invented  by  the  human  spirit  to  bring 
about  the  higher  unity  and  synthesis  of  all  peoples.  Not  only 
shall  each  people  combine  in  itself  the  best  that  has  been  realized 
by  other  peoples,  but  each  human  individual  shall  take  his  morn- 
ing survey  of  the  daily  movement  of  nations  and  colossal  enter- 
prises. 

Here  is  the  significance  of  our  new  University  Extension 
movement,  which  we  are  here  to-day  to  celebrate  by  this  confer- 
ence. (University  Extension  proposes  to  avail  itself  of  the  new 
inventions  and  instrumentalities  which  have  been  developed  in 
the  interests  of  commerce  and  the  ordinary  interchange  of  opin- 
ion, and  send  the  currents  of  higher  thought,  higher  scholarship, 
and  higher  sentiment  through  these  channels,  so  as  to  directly 
influence  all  men. 

In  brief,  University  Extension  proposes  to  itself  to  gain  pos- 
session of  the  organs  of  public  opinion,  and  it  is  evident  that 
\  this  enterprise  is  one  of  the  most  important  undertaken  in  our 
tentury  since  the  establishment  of  the  common  public  school.J 

In  the  most  advanced  civilization  we  find  the  completest  sys- 
tem of  means  for  the  formation  and  promulgation  of  public 
opinion.  All  persons  in  the  community,  by  means  of  the  news- 
paper, look  upon  the  same  event,  look  upon  the  same  sketch  of 
public  policy  marked  out  by  the  statesman,  listen  to  the  same 
arguments,  and  take  sides  in  view  of  the  weight  of  argument. 
The  public  opinion  thus  organized  is  not  the  public  opinion  of  a 
village  or  a  province.  It  is  the  public  opinion  of  the  whole 
country,  and  a  public  opinion  which  is  formed,  or  secreted,  so  to 
speak,  by  the  aggregate  action  of  all  the  minds  in  the  nation. 
In  fact,  this  does  not  state  it  strongly  enough.  The  public 
opinion  of  a  newspaper-reading  age  is  an  international  public 
opinion,  a  public  opinion  which  takes  into  it  as  a  determining 
element  the  views  and  opinions  of  other  civilized  nations. 

But  this  kind  of  public  opinion  cannot  be  found  in  an  illiter- 
ate community,  nor  can  the  newspaper,  which  is  the  instrument 
for  forming  and  disseminating  such  public  opinion,  penetrate  an 
illiterate  community. 

In  old  times,  before  the  statesman  could  watch  the  verdict  of 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      2 1 

public  opinion  on  a  proposed  measure,  he  was  perhaps  obliged  to 
take  action.  The  diplomats  found  themselves  obliged  to  plunge 
the  nation  into  war.  In  our  time,  with  the  telegraph,  and  the 
newspaper,  and  a  universal  reading  people,  the  dial  of  public 
opinion  is  visible  to  all  statesmen  and  leaders  of  the  people,  and 
it  is  possible  to  avoid  an  appeal  to  the  final  court  of  arms. 

It  is  evident  enough  that  the  first  requisite  for  the  efficiency 
of  these  instrumentalities  is  a  universal  diffusion  of  common- 
school  education,  and  an  ability  on  the  part  of  all  the  people  to 
read  and  understand  the  printed  page.  This  is  given  in  the 
common  schools.  The  question  arises  at  once,  at  this  point, 
Why  do  not  the  common  schools  give  an  all-sufficient  education  ? 
Why  is  not  elementary  education  all  that  is  desired  among  the 
people?  Is  it  not  true,  that  if  the  schools  teach  the  people 
how  to  read,  and  the  universal  prevalence  of  periodicals  and 
books  furnishes  what  to  read,  that  the  life  of  the  people  is  turned 
into  a  constant  education  ?  Will  not  such  reading — such  as  the 
elementary  school  provides  for — lead  necessarily  to  the  diffusion 
of  all  human  learning? 

In  order  to  answer  this  question  properly,  and  to  see  the  grounds 
which  exist  for  the  movement  known  as  University  Extension,  let 
us  consider  for  a  moment  the  difference  between  elementary  school 
education  and  university  education.  The  child  who  is  of  the 
proper  age  to  learn  how  to  read  has  not  acquired  an  experience  of 
life  sufficient  for  him  to  understand  very  much  of  human  nature. 
He  has  a  quick  grasp  of  isolated  things  and  events,  but  he  has  very 
small  power  of  synthesis.  He  cannot  combine  things  and  events 
in  his  little  mind  so  as  to  perceive  processes  and  principles  and 
laws, — in  short,  he  has  little  insight  into  the  trend  of  human 
events  or  into  logical  conclusions  which  follow  from  convictions 
and  principles.  This  is  the  characteristic  of  primary  or  elemen- 
tary instruction,  that  it  must  take  the  world  of  human  learning 
in  fragments  and  fail  to  see  the  intercommunication  of  things. 
The  education  in  high  schools  and  academies  which  we  call 
secondary  education  begins  to  correct  this  inadequacy  of  ele- 
mentary education ;  it  begins  to  study  processes;  it  begins  to  see 
how  things  and  events  are  produced ;  it  begins  to  study  causes 


22       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

and  productive  forces.  But  secondary  education  fails,  in  a  marked 
manner,  to  arrive  at  any  complete  and  final  standard  for  human 
conduct,  or  at  any  insight  into  a  principle  that  can  serve  as  a 
standard  of  measure.  It  is  the  glory  of  higher  education  that  it 
lays  chief  stress  on  the  comparative  method  of  study ;  that  it 
makes  philosophy  its  leading  discipline  ;  that  it  gives  an  ethical 
bent  to  all  of  its  branches  of  study.  Higher  education  seeks  as 
its  goal  the  unity  of  human  learning.  Each  branch  can  be  thor- 
oughly understood  only  in  the  light  of  all  other  branches.  The 
best  definition  of  science  is  that  it  is  the  presentation  of  facts  in 
such  a  system  that  each  fact  throws  light  upon  all  the  others  and 
is  in  turn  illuminated  by  all  the  others. 

The  youth  of  proper  age  to  enter  upon  higher  education  has 
already  experienced  much  of  human  life,  and  has  arrived  at 
the  point  where  he  begins  to  feel  the  necessity  for  a  regulative 
principle  and  guiding  principle  of  his  own,  with  which  he  may 
decide  the  endless  questions  which  press  themselves  upon  him  for 
settlement.  Taking  the  youth  at  this  moment,  when  the  appetite 
for  principles  is  beginning  to  develop,  the  college  gives  him  the 
benefit  of  the  experience  of  the  race.  It  shows  him  the  verdict 
of  the  earliest  and  latest  great  thinkers  on  the  trend  of  world 
history.  It  gathers  into  one  focus  the  results  of  the  vast  labors 
in  natural  science,  in  history,  in  sociology,  in  philology,  and 
political  science  in  modern  times. 

The  person  who  has  had  merely  an  elementary  schooling  has 
laid  stress  on  the  mechanical  means  of  culture, — the  arts  of  read- 
ing, writing,  computing,  and  the  like.  He  has  trained  his  mind 
for  the  acquirement  of  isolated  details.  But  he  has  not  been 
disciplined  in  comparative  study.  He  has  not  learned  how  to 
compare  each  fact  with  other  facts,  nor  how  to  compare  each 
science  with  other  sciences.  He  has  never  inquired,  What  is  the 
trend  of  this  science  ?  He  has  never  inquired,  What  is  the  lesson 
of  all  human  learning  as  regards  the  conduct  of  life  ?  We  should 
say  that  he  has  never  learned  the  difference  between  knowledge 
and  wisdom,  or,  what  is  better,  the  method  of  converting  knowl- 
edge into  wisdom  : — The  college  has  for  its  function  the  teaching 
of  this  great  lesson, — how  to  convert  knowledge  into  wisdom, 


Pluce  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      23 

how  to  discern  the  bearing  of  all  departments  of  knowledge  upon 
each. 

It  is  evident  that  the  individual  who  has  received  only  an  ele- 
mentary education  is  at  a  great  disadvantage  as  compared  with 
the  person  who  has  received  a  higher  education  in  the  college 
or  university,  making  all  allowance  for  imperfections  in  existing 
institutions.  The  individual  is  prone  to  move  on  in  the  same 
direction,  and  in  the  same  channel,  which  he  has  taken  under 
the  guidance  of  his  teacher.  Very  few  persons  change  their 
methods  after  leaving  school.  It  requires  something  like  a  cata- 
clysm to  produce  a  change  in  method.  All  of  the  influences  of 
the  university,  its  distinguished  professors,  its  ages  of  reputation, 
the  organization  of  the  students  and  professors  as  a  whole,  these 
and  like  influences,  combined  with  the  isolation  of  the  pupil 
from  the  strong  tie  of  family  and  polite  society,  are  able  to 
effect  this  change  in  method  when  they  work  upon  the  mind  of 
a  youth  for  three  or  four  years.  The  graduate  of  the  college 
or  university  is,  as  a  general  thing,  in  possession  of  a  new  method 
of  study  and  thinking.  His  attitude  is  a  comparative  one. 
Perhaps  he  does  not  carry  this  far  enough  to  make  it  vital; 
perhaps  he  does  not  readjust  all  that  he  has  before  learned 
by  this  new  method ;  but,  placing  him  side  by  side  with  the 
graduate  of  the  common  school,  we  see  readily  the  difference 
in  types  of  educated  mind.  The  mind  trained  according  to 
elementary  form  is  surprised  and  captivated  by  superficial  com- 
binations. It  has  no  power  of  resistance  against  shallow  criti- 
cal views.  It  is  swept  away  by  specious  arguments  for  reform, 
and  it  must  be  admitted  that  these  agitators  are  the  better 
minds,  rather  than  the  weaker  ones,  which  elementary  education 
sends  forth.  The  duller  minds  do  not  ever  go  so  far  as  to  be 
interested  in  reforms,  or  take  a  critical  attitude  toward  what  exists. 

The  duller,  commonplace  intellect  follows  use  and  wont,  and 
does  not  question  the  established  order.  The  commonplace 
intellect  has  no  adaptability,  no  power  of  readjustment  in  view 
of  new  circumstances.  The  disuse  of  hand  labor  and  the  adop- 
tion of  machine  labor,  for  instance,  finds  the  common  laborer 
unable  to  substitute  brain  labor  for  hand  labor,  and  it  leaves 


24       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

him   in   the  path  of  poverty,  wending  his  way   to   the   alms- 
house. 

The  so-called  self-educated  man,  of  whom  we  are  so  proud  in 
America,  is  quite  often  one  who  has  never  advanced  far  beyond 
these  elementary  methods.  He  has  been  warped  out  of  his 
orbit  by  some  shallow  critical  idea,  which  is  not  born  of  a  com- 
parison with  each  department  of  human  learning  with  all  depart- 
ments. He  is  necessarily  one-sided  and  defective  in  his  training. 
He  is  often  a  man  of  great  accumulations  of  isolated  scraps  of 
information.  His  memory-pouch  is  precociously  developed.  In 
German  literature  such  a  man  is  called  a  "  Philistine."  He  lays 
undue  stress  on  some  insignificant  phase  of  human  affairs.  He 
advocates  with  great  vigor  the  importance  of  some  local  centre, 
some  partial  human  interest,  as  the  great  centre  of  all  human 
life.  He  is  like  an  astronomer  who  opposes  the  heliocentric 
theory,  and  advocates  the  claims  of  some  planet,  or  some  satel- 
lite, as  the  centre  of  the  solar  system.  In  sociology  these  self- 
made  men  advocate,  for  instance,  as  a  universal  panacea  for 
poverty,  such  devices  as  the  abolishing  of  all  individual  property 
in  land,  or  a  single-tax,  or  a  scheme  of  state  socialism ;  or,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  equally  negative  system  of  laissezfaire, — let 
each  look  out  for  himself,  and  let  the  government  forswear 
entirely  all  functions  of  nurture  and  provision  for  the  common 
welfare.  In  the  name  of  abstract  justice,  Mr.  Herbert  Spencer 
strikes  at  all  of  the  concrete  forms  of  government  in  existence, 
and  would  fain  cut  them  down  to  his  procrustean  standard,  pro- 
tecting free  competition  without  provision  for  common  welfare. 

There  is  a  conspicuous  lack  of  a  knowledge  of  the  history  of 
the  development  of  social  institutions  in  all  this.  The  individual 
has  not  learned  the  slow  development  of  the  ideas  of  private 
property  in  Roman  history,  and  he  does  not  see  the  real  function 
of  property  in  land.  Again,  he  does  not  know  the  history  of 
the  development  of  human  society.  He  has  not  studied  the 
place  of  the  village  community  and  its  form  of  socialism  in  the 
long  road  which  the  state  has  travelled  in  order  to  arrive  at 
freedom  for  the  individual. 

The  self-educated  man,  full  of  the  trend  which  the  elementar)r 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      25 

school  has  given  him,  comes,  perhaps,  into  the  directorship  over 
the  entire  education  of  a  state.  He  signalizes  his  career  by 
attacking  the  study  of  the  classic  languages,  the  study  of  logic 
and  philosophy,  the  study  of  literature  and  the  humanities.  It 
is  to  be  expected  of  him  that  he  will  prefer  the  dead  results  of 
education  to  an  investigation  of  the  total  process  of  the  evolu- 
tion of  human  culture.  The  traditional  course  of  study  in  the 
college  takes  the  individual  back  to  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages in  order  to  give  him  a  survey  of  the  origins  of  his  art 
and  literature  and  science  and  jurisprudence.  In  the  study  of 
Greece  and  Rome  he  finds  the  embryology  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion, and  develops  in  his  mind  a  power  of  discrimination  in  re- 
gard to  elements  which  enter  the  concrete  life  of  the  present  age. 
It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  the  commonplace  mind,  which  is 
armed  and  equipped  only  with  the  methods  of  elementary  in- 
struction, shall  understand  the  importance  of  seeing  every  insti- 
tution, every  custom,  every  statute  in  the  light  of  its  evolution. 

Again,  the  force  of  these  facts  is  augmented  when  we  con- 
sider the  enormous  development  of  secondary  instruction  in 
this  country,  not  on  the  basis  of  the  university,  but  on  that  of 
the  elementary  school.  Within  one  generation  the  public  free 
high  schools  have  increased  from  a  hundred  or  less  to  five  or  six 
thousand.  For  the  most  part  the  course  of  study  in  these  insti- 
tutions has  been  largely  under  the  control  of  men  educated  only 
in  elementary  methods.  As  might  have  been  expected,  this  fact 
has  largely  determined  the  character  of  the  studies  pursued  in 
the  high  schools.  The  classic  studies  and  pure  mathematics 
have  been  discouraged,  and  studies  substituted  for  them  which 
have  a  real  or  supposed  value  in  the  business  vocation.  The 
consequence  of  this  has  been  that  the  high  schools  of  the  country 
have  failed  to  furnish  men  of  real  directive  power.  Their  best 
representatives  have  been  of  the  type  of  the  self-educated  men 
that  I  have  just  now  described. 

While  I  consider  it  a  matter  of  congratulation  that  the  people 
of  the  country  are  fast  establishing  throughout  the  land  a  system 
of  free  education  in  high  schools,  yet  I  find  myself  obliged  to 
admit  that  the  present  and  past  results  of  these  schools  may  be 


26       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

summed  up  as  the  production  of  a  vast  intellectual  current  of 
Philistinism.  There  is  not  any  argument  for  the  importance  of 
University  Extension  which  equals  this  in  strength.  The  second- 
ary education  has  largely  been  diverted  from  the  road  that  leads 
to  higher  education,  and  turned  aside  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
produce  arrested  development  at  the  stadium  of  elementary  or 
secondary  methods.  The  common  schools  of  the  people  are 
suffering  more  from  this  cause  than  from  all  the  other  causes 
combined.  It  is  a  prolific  source  of  mere  mechanical  device 
and  methods  which  lead  nowhither.  It  produces  a  flippant,  self- 
conceited  frame  of  mind  which  does  not  hesitate  to  attack  and 
tear  down  institutions  which  it  fails  to  comprehend.  University 
Extension,  as  we  understand  it,  proposes  to  close  up  this  gap 
between  higher  institutions  and  the  elementary  schools. 

In  recent  years  there  has  been  a  considerable  elevation  of  the 
standard  of  admission  to  the  college,  and  this  has  led  to  an 
increased  development  of  secondary  instruction,  especially  since 
the  smaller  colleges  of  the  country  have  not  been  able  to  follow 
the  lead  of  the  great  universities  without  suffering  in  the  size  of 
their  classes.  The  influence  of  secondary  schools  as  directors  of 
elementary  common  schools  is  not,  and  never  has  been,  a  healthy 
one.  Only  the  college  and  university  can  give  this  healthy  in- 
fluence. 

With  University  Extension  the  directors  of  higher  education 
come  at  once  into  contact  with  the  people.  The  university, 
through  its  properly  organized  faculties,  descends  into  the  com- 
munity and,  as  it  were,  takes  an  inventory  of  the  bright  and 
promising  minds  that  are  exercising  an  intellectual  influence 
upon  the  direction  of  affairs.  It  gathers  these  into  classes  and 
audiences,  and  discusses  with  them  the  living  questions  of  the 
day.  It  fascinates  them  with  the  superiority  of  the  comparative 
method  of  study.  It  vanquishes  the  spirit  of  Philistinism  and 
refutes  the  theories  of  cranks. 

This  process  of  University  Extension,  I  need  not  add,  has 
also  a  retroactive  influence  of  great  value  upon  the  university 
itself.  We  all  know  how  important  is  the  present  tendency 
towards  specialization.  We  admit,  nevertheless,  that  there  is  a 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      27 

danger  in  this,  inasmuch  as  the  specialist  who  does  not  use  the 
highest  or  comparative  method,  and  endeavors  to  bring  his 
specialty  into  comparison  with  all  branches  of  human  knowledge, 
— that  this  specialist,  I  say,  tends  to  make  his  branch  a  hobby, 
and  to  set  up  his  local  centre  as  the  grand  centre  of  the  universe. 
Unbalanced  specialism  in  education,  therefore,  tends  to  the  very 
evils  which  elementary  methods  produce.  But  University  Ex- 
tension will  correct  this.  When  the  specialist  finds  himself  face 
to  face  with  an  audience  collected  from  people  who  have 
received  only  a  common  education,  he  is  forced  at  once  into 
meeting  their  crude  opinions  by  presenting  the  comparative 
history  of  his  theme,  and  by  showing  the  bearing  of  other 
branches  of  human  learning  upon  it.  It  is,  as  I  have  said,  the 
characteristic  of  University  Extension  that  it  finds  its  highest 
principle  in  the  conduct  of  life,  and  that  it  is  ethical  in  its 
method.  The  direct  contact  of  university  instructors  with  the 
people  leads  to  the  emphasis  of  the  ethical  stand-point. 

So  much  for  the  reaction  of  University  Extension  upon  the  uni- 
versity itself.  But  I  should  not  omit  to  say  that  the  University 
Extension  movement  will  have  another  beneficial  effect  in  in- 
creasing the  number  of  persons  who  seek  higher  education.  No 
sooner  does  the  university  enter  the  field  of  competition  before 
the  common  people  than  it  vanquishes  the  claimants  for  the  cause 
of  secondary  education,  and  the  claimants  for  the  cause  of  ele- 
mentary education  as  finalities.  The  people  see  at  once  the 
superiority  of  the  higher  education,  and  there  arises  throughout 
the  community  an  aspiration  for  its  advantages.  Even  the 
families  of  the  poor  will  aspire  each  to  educate  one  or  more  of 
their  children  for  the  university.  We  know  that  in  former  times, 
when  the  requirements  for  education  had  not  climbed  up  to  the 
place  they  now  hold,  how  often  the  poorest  families  in  Scotland 
managed  to  educate  one  of  the  family  for  the  university.  The 
ideal  of  education,  at  that  time,  was  university  education.  This 
desirable  ideal  will  again  prevail  in  the  community,  and  where 
we  have  at  present  in  the  United  States  only  one  in  five  hundred 
of  the  population  enrolled  in  schools  for  higher  instruction  we 
shall  have,  as  we  ought  to  have,  from  five  to  ten  times  that  ratio. 


28       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Again,  the  advantage  to  the  University  will  appear  in  the 
furnishing  of  direct  practical  careers  to  its  graduates.  In  the 
laboratory  and  the  seminarium  the  university  trains  its  pupils  to 
the  work  of  original  investigation.  It  sends,  therefore,  into  the 
community  a  class  of  people  fully  equipped  with  an  intellectual 
apparatus  for  the  correction  and  perfection  of  the  political  and 
the  economical  departments.  It  focusses  a  powerful  light  upon 
the  directive  power  in  the  various  departments  of  productive 
industry  and  local  self-government.  Now,  University  Exten- 
sion, by  reason  of  the  fact  that  it  collects  into  organized 
bodies  the  most  enterprising  minds  of  the  common  people,  pre- 
pares positions  in  advance  for  these  graduates  of  the  university. 
They  may  take  hold  of  the  places  where  they  are  most  needed 
without  wasting  their  strength  in  endeavors  to  discover  such 
opportunities,  and  to  persuade  men  in  power  of  the  utility  of 
their  training  for  the  work. 

We  have  seen  how  this  movement  arose  in  England.  With 
the  extension  of  suffrage  and  with  the  increase  of  means  of  self- 
education  among  the  people,  and  especially  with  the  circulation 
of  semi-scientific  information  by  means  of  the  printing-press, 
there  has  been  in  the  past  a  something  of  relaxation  in  the  hold 
which  the  great  universities  had  upon  the  people.  This  has 
been  promoted  by  the  self-educated  man  whom  I  have  disparaged 
by  calling  him  a  Philistine.  The  great  urban  development  of 
England,  and,  I  may  say,  of  all  civilization,  has  produced  in  the 
community  an  aggregation  of  the  weaklings  of  society, — what 
we  may  call  the- population  of  the  slums, — a  fearful  problem  for 
our  civilization.  It  would  have  been  the  part  of  selfish  wisdom 
to  establish  University  Extension  in  order  to  recover  a  hold 
upon  the  common  people,  and  in  order  to  grapple  successfully 
with  the  social  problem  of  the  slum  element  which  menaces  the 
rule  of  law ;  but,  strange  to  say,  the  University  Extension  has 
not  originated  in  the  enlightened  selfishness  of  the  university, 
but  rather  in  the  pure  missionary  spirit, — the  spirit  of  divine 
charity  which  has  always  largely  abounded  among  the  directors 
of  higher  education.  There  is  no  movement,  however,  which  has 
worked  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  power  of  the  upper  classes, 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      29 

and  especially  of  the  university  educated  classes  of  Great  Britain, 
as  has  this  movement  of  University  Extension. 

It  is  true  that  circumstances  in  this  country  differ  from 
those  in  England  in  many  particulars,  but  there  are  great  broad 
lines  of  resemblance.  In  both  countries  we  have  what  is  called 
local  self-government.  England  is  the  nation  in  which  local 
self-government  has  originated  as  a  complemental  element  neces- 
sary to  compensate  for  the  one-sidedness  of  the  Roman  principle 
of  centralization.  In  our  government,  just  as  in  the  home  gov- 
ernment of  England,  there  is  a  representation,  not  only  of  all 
individuals  but  of  all  interests,  and  this  not  only  in  the  legisla- 
ture that  makes  the  law,  but  in  the  courts  which  administer  the 
law,  and  in  the  executive  department  which  enforces  the  law. 
The  making  of  laws  is  determined  by  the  free  process  of  elections 
and  public  debates  in  which  all  powers  and  interests  struggle  for 
the  mastery.  The  decisions  of  the  courts  are  determined  by  the 
same  universal  representation  of  individuals  and  interests ;  and, 
finally,  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  concedes  the  same  rights  of 
consideration  for  all  parties  concretely  existing  in  the  community. 
It  is  evident  that  in  England  and  in  this  country — both  demo- 
cratic— there  exists  a  sort  of  necessity  for  a  free  process  of  in- 
fluence between  the  highest  and  lowest  strata  of  society.  In 
both  countries  demagogism  increases  in  proportion  to  the  neglect 
of  the  lowest  stratum  by  the  highest.  This  argument  for  Uni- 
versity Extension  is  so  obvious  that  it  does  not  need  further  ex- 
pansion here. 

There  is  one  incidental  effect  of  University  Extension  which 
I  think  worthy  of  special  mention.  The  ordinary  elementary 
school,  secondary  school,  or  college,  seeks  to  give  a  general  edu- 
cation to  the  pupil.  It  wishes  to  see  every  one  learn  the  con- 
ventional course  of  study,  and  not  neglect  either  language,  or 
science,  or  mathematics,  or  history.  This  curriculum,  in  a 
certain  sense,  mistreats  those  especially  gifted  individuals, 
found  in  all  ranks,  who  have  possibilities  of  the  greatest  use- 
fulness in  certain  narrow  lines  of  talent,  but  who  are  not  attracted 
by  other  fields  of  knowledge  outside  of  their  specialty.  Their 
love  of  one  particular  branch  of  human  knowledge  is  so  great 


3O       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

that  all  other  branches  seem  to  them  repugnant.  These  persons 
are  the  stuff  out  of  which  genius  is  made,  but  our  traditional 
system  of  education  has  not  known  what  to  do  with  the  candi- 
dates for  genius.  But  the  new  methods  of  specialization,  which 
the  University  proper  has  taken  up  after  the  studies  of  college 
are  completed,  has  opened  up  among  our  university  educators 
an  interest  in  special  talent  wherever  it  is  found.  University 
Extension  provides  new  channels  of  communication  between  the 
directors  of  the  university  and  these  specially  endowed  people, 
scattered  here  and  there  throughout  the  community.  The  lectur- 
ers and  class-teachers  of  the  Extension  movement  are  prepared 
to  make  an  inventory,  as  it  were,  of  this  very  important,  although 
not  numerous,  element  in  the  population.  This  possibility  of 
saving  from  waste  some  of  the  most  gifted  of  people  will  occur 
to  every  one  as  a  strong  reason  for  the  existence  of  School  and 
University  Extension. 

The  old  lyceum  course  did  not  provide  for  the  active  partici- 
pation of  the  audience  in  the  work  of  instruction.  But  Uni- 
versity Extension  provides  for  discussions  between  the  lecturer 
and  his  classes.  It  provides  for  reviews,  it  provides  for  home- 
studies  and  examinations. 

In  regard  to  the  question  of  management  in  this  great  move- 
ment, I  suppose  that  we  shall  have  a  full  discussion  of  the 
question  of  local  centres  versus  one  all-including  society.  It 
seems  to  me  that  we  should  encourage  local  centres  where  there 
seems  to  be  ambition  and  ability  for  successful  organization.  I 
think  that  this  matter  will  take  care  of  itself.  The  advantages 
of  a  great  central  organization  are  advantages  of  finance.  There 
is  saved  a  multiplication  of  officers  and  a  multiplication  of  ex- 
pense by  co-operating  in  one  great  society.  But  where  local 
reasons  exist  for  independent  societies,  let  them  continue.  Let 
any  State  whose  government  provides  money  to  manage  Uni- 
versity Extension  within  its  boundaries  go  on  and  solve  its  own 
problems.  There  are  lines  of  new  experiments  needed  in  order  to 
discover  the  best  instrumentalities.  The  English  have  developed 
especially  the  lecture-course  system,  with  its  discussions  and 
written  examinations.  In  many  parts  of  this  country  the  system 


Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.      3 1 

of  home-study  and  professional  instruction  by  mail  has  been 
developed.  There  are  very  many  other  phases,  such  as,  for 
example,  that  developed  by  the  Brooklyn  Institute,  which  ought 
to  have  full  consideration.  When  we  have  developed  a  half- 
dozen  types  of  University  Extension,  each  local  centre  may  adopt 
and  combine  three  or  four  best  adapted  to  it.  In  the  meanwhile 
we  must  pay  the  well-deserved  compliment  to  the  American 
Society,  initiated  by  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  to  say  that 
it  has  made  by  far  the  largest  step  in  making  a  useful  and'  prac- 
tical application  of  University  Extension  in  this  country ;  and 
all  new  movements  in  this  direction  should  consider  carefully 
the  question  whether  something  cannot  be  gained  by  uniting 
with  this  great  movement  already  so  efficiently  organized.  What- 
ever may  be  the  practical  conclusion  arrived  at  in  regard  to  these 
matters  of  local  and  central  administration,  there  certainly  is 
but  one  possible  conclusion  as  to  the  importance  of  a  national 
conference  with  annual  meetings  for  comparison  of  views.  Each 
movement  wishes  to  understand  clearly  the  aggregate  result  of 
the  experience  of  all  movements.  There  should  be  a  national 
conference,  which  brings  out  this  experience  in  all  its  details, 
and  serves  it  up  for  the  instruction  of  all. 

I  congratulate  you,  delegates,  on  your  undertaking,  which  is, 
in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  term,  a  missionary  movement.  It 
is  a  movement  which  holds  out  the  torch  of  the  highest  learning, 
not  only  for  the  illumination  of  all,  but  for  the  purpose  of  assist- 
ing each  individual  to  light  his  own  torch  at  its  sacred  flame. 


CHAUTAUQUA  AND   UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION. 

BY   BISHOP   JOHN    H.    VINCENT, 
Chancellor  of  the  Chautauqua  University  and  Assembly. 

THE  Chautauqua  Idea  and  Movement  deserve  a  recognition 
among  University  Extension  workers,  because  Chautauqua  is  itself 
little  else  than  a  University  Extension  agency.  To  convince  you 
of  this,  and  to  secure  your  confidence  and  co-operation  as  Uni- 
versity Extension  specialists,  I  accept  the  opportunity  of  this 
hour. 

If  University  Extension  as  a  modern  movement  meets  with 
something  like  apathy,  if  not  with  pronounced  opposition,  from 
certain  university  men,  it  is  because  these  men  do  not  understand 
the  movement  you  represent.  If  the  Chautauqua  Movement 
meets  with  similar  indifference,  if  not  with  antagonism,  from 
many  universities,  and  occasionally  from  a  University  Extension 
advocate,  it  is  simply  another  case  of  misapprehension. 

The  opposition  in  both  cases — to  University  Extension  work  and 
to  Chautauqua  work — is,  on  the  whole,  a  good  sign.  I  congratu- 
late the  cause  which  both  movements  represent — that  is,  the  cause 
of  the  higher  education — on  the  sensitiveness  of  the  scholars  touch- 
ing these  popular  devices.  True  scholars  deprecate  superficiality. 
They  are  anxious  lest  some  easy  way  be  set  forth  to  what  they 
regard  as  a  substitute  for  culture,  power,  and  honor.  Truly 
'great  scholars  are  determined  not  to  degrade  the  dignity  of 
genuine  scholarship ;  to  substitute  show  for  substance ;  to  allow 
grace  of  speech  to  pass  for  grasp  of  thought ;  or  a  glance  at  an 
extended  landscape  to  be  as  much  esteemed  among  the  educators 
as  a  patient  and  persistent  digging  underground,  where  the  real 
treasures  are  hidden.  I  therefore  rejoice  when  the  appointed 
representatives  of  thorough  and  sturdy  scholarship  look  at  Uni- 
versity Extension  with  suspicion.  It  augurs  well  for  the  work 
and  the  results.  The  men  set  to  defend  the  noblest  learning  and 
32 


Chautauqua  and  University  Extension.  33 

the  true  power  of  education  are  aware  of  their  responsibility. 
The  hesitancy  is  sure  to  be  followed  by  heartiness  of  approval  in 
the  end,  and  their  respect  is  worth  something  after  you  have  fairly 
captured  it. 

I  have  known  and  studied  the  English  University  Extension 
scheme  ever  since  1875.  I  did  not  then  know,  however,  that 
the  plans  of  the  English  movement  and  of  the  American  .Chautau- 
qua movement  were  formally  laid  during  the  same  year.  I  do 
know  that  both  beginnings  were  characterized  by  the  same  effort 
to  secure  more  scientific  and  thorough  work  in  their  respective 
lines,  and  that  in  this  attempt  both  plans  provided  for  systematic 
lectures,  class  conversations  and  drills,  printed  syllabi  and  written 
examinations, — the  bringing,  in  a  word,  to  the  out-of-school  lay- 
man the  knowledge,  methods,  and  spirit  of  the  university. 

I  purpose  to  present  at  this  time,  in  as  compact  and  compre- 
hensive a  way  as  possible,  a  statement  of  the  Chautauqua  System, 
that  you  may  see  its  resemblance  and  relation  to  your  own  noble, 
practical,  and  democratic  educational  endeavor.  Briefly  stated, 
the  Chautauqua  Idea  embraces  the  following  elements : 

1.  The  application  of  the  scientific  method  in  education  to 
religious  and  biblical  instruction,  and  its  illustration  in  all  depart- 
ments of  learning. 

2.  The  recognition  by  religious  teachers  of  the  religious  power 
and  value  of  the  "week-day"  or  so-called  secular   agencies — 
commercial,   educational,    political,    and  social — in   promoting 
among  the  people  large  and  worthy  views  of  life,  and  in  advanc- 
ing among  all  classes  of  society  the  idea  of  symmetrical  edu- 
cation. 

3.  The  introduction  of  the  best  representatives  of  the  schools, 
and  especially  of  the  colleges  and  universities,  to  the  great  body 
of  the  American  people,  who  now  and  for  long  years  out  of 
school  have  a  very  defective  idea  of  the  formal  educational  pro- 
cesses and  too  little  confidence  in  them. 

4.  The  provision  of  popular  and  practical  agencies  and  methods 
for  promoting  the  true  "popular  education"  among  adults,  re- 
membering that,  while  he  begins  wisely  who  begins  to  influence 
a  generation  by  labor  in  behalf  of  the  child  in  the  cradle,  he 

3 


34       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

works  more  wisely  who  begins  his  work  of  education  with  the 
strong  hands  that  make  and  the  tender  hands  that  rock  that  cradle. 
Among  these  agencies  and  methods  long  familiar  to  Chautauqua 
are  the  provision  of  reading-courses,  reading-circles,  training- 
classes,  lecture-courses,  correspondence-teaching,  periodical  mag- 
azines and  lesson  helps,  syllabi,  schemes  for  the  most  rigid  ex- 
aminations, the  employment  of  local  scholars  and  specialists, 
winter  and  summer  assemblies  in  hall,  church,  or  grove,  college 
and  University  Extension  work,  etc. 

5.  The  employment  of  varied  devices  which  appeal  to  the 
imagination,  gratify  the  social  instincts,  and  develop   personal 
enthusiasm  and  esprit  de  corps.    These  incidental  and  sentimental 
features  are  indispensable  to  the  college  life,  which  emphasizes 
the  idea  of  alma  mater.     They  express  themselves  in   classic 
halls,  in  social  fraternities,  in  class  loyalty,  class  rivalries,  songs, 
feasts,   and   games.      Similar    expedients    have    been   used   by 
Chautauqua  in  the  interest  of  the  large  number  of  people,  repre- 
senting all  conditions  of  society,  and  all  degrees  of  culture,  who 
find  themselves  interested  and  inspired  and  strengthened  by  the 
class  life,  the  class  spirit,  the  promotions,  recognitions,  memorial 
days,  vesper  services,  Chautauqua   songs,   and  other  beautiful 
accompaniments  of  a  fraternity  built  on  a  high  and  holy  aim. 

6.  And,  finally,  the  Chautauqua  movement  recognizes  the  value 
of  adults  as  students,  and  makes  the  attempt  to  enlist  grown-up, 
middle-aged,  and  even  venerable  men  and  women  in  the  worthy 
endeavor  after  self-improvement.     Adults  are  popularly  supposed 
to  be  beyond  the  limits  of  educational  possibility ;  whereas  their 
long  experience  in  life  and  the  maturing  of  their  powers  render 
them  in  many  respects  better  qualified  than  the  immature  and 
inexperienced  child  for  pursuing  systematic  and  varied  courses  of 
study. 

All  these  aims  unite  in  a  single  thought :  The  application  of 
the  highest  and  most  approved  methods  of  education  to  the  out- 
of-school  multitudes, — all  of  them,  at  all  ages,  in  all  social  con- 
ditions,— that  they  may  come  to  appreciate  their  personal  possi- 
bilities and  responsibilities;  that  they  may  see  the  harmony 
between  things  religious  and  things  secular ;  that  they  may  learn 


Chautauqua  and  University  Extension.  35 

how  truly  to  honor  and  dignify  manual  labor ;  how  to  despise  the 
frivolity,  emptiness,  and  selfishness  of  mere  wealth  without  culture 
and  high  moral  quality ;  how  to  bear  affliction  with  fortitude,  and 
how  to  find  the  consolation  of  noble  thought  in  lowly  homes ;  that 
they  may  command  their  children,  send  them  to  the  public  schools 
at  an  early  age,  keep  them  in  school  until  they  are  ready  for  col- 
lege, and  then  induce  them  to  pass  through  college,  if  not  in  order 
to  be  mechanics  or  professional  men,  that  they  may  be,  whether 
mechanics,  merchants,  or  professional  men,  intelligent,  reverent, 
independent,  righteous  men  and  women,  true  exponents  of  the 
Christian  idea,  and  citizens  of  the  nation  whom  demagogues  can 
never  dominate,  and  by  whom  in  due  time  all  conscienceless 
schemers,  commercial  and  political,  shall  be  suppressed.  Fraud, 
now  possible  by  an  ignorant,  selfish,  and  indifferent  people,  must 
fall  before  popular  intelligence,  conscience,  and  purpose. 

Chautauqua  is  not,  as  some  superficial  observers  have  supposed, 
an  evolved  camp-meeting.  In  fact,  the  Chautauqua  Idea,  as 
carried  out  in  many  towns  and  cities  of  America,  and  in  Oxford 
and  Blackpool  in  England,  and  as  originally  conceived  in  Amer- 
ica, sustains  no  relation  whatever  to  the  camp-meeting  or  to  the 
grove.  Great  advantages  have  accrued  to  the  scheme  by  the 
meetings  in  the  grove,  but,  while  these  advantages  have  been 
appreciated,  one  of  the  chief  hindrances  to  the  work  has  been  in 
the  prejudice  against  the  camp-meeting  among  so  many  people 
who  were  perhaps  too  little  familiar  with  the  uses  and  advantages 
of  that  venerable  religious  institution.  The  management  of 
Chautauqua  has  used  its  most  vigorous  endeavor  from  the  very 
beginning  to  divorce  from  the  Chautauqua  work  the  camp- 
meeting  idea.  It  has  been  compelled  to  say  again  and  again,  in 
a  score  of  ways,  that  the  Chautauqua  Movement  and  the  camp- 
meeting  are  two  entirely  different  institutions,  with  utterly  differ- 
ent objects, — both  useful,  but  as  diverse  as  an  inquiry-meeting 
on  the  one  hand  and  a  class  conference  of  scientists,  theologians, 
and  statesmen  on  the  other. 

The  influence  of  Chautauqua  on  college  and  university  life  is 
to  be  seen  in  the  results  of  its  practical  working  during  the  past 
seventeen  years.  The  effects  are  to  be  found : 


36       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

1.  In  the  large  number  of  students   now  engaged   in  doing 
Chautauqua  correspondence  work.     Men  and  women  of  mature 
minds,  who  could  not  themselves,  owing  to  circumstances  beyond 
their  control,  leave  home  and  enter  any  institution  of  learning, 
are  now  engaged  under  the  direction  of  university  men  in  courses 
of  study  equalling  those  of  the  best  college  curricula,  and  sub- 
jected to  tests  of  examination  unexcelled  in  any  university. 

2.  In  the  large  number  of  summer  and  winter  students  now 
attending  the  Chautauqua  centres  north  and  south,  where,  under 
university  men,  for  from  two  to  eight  weeks  they  have  the  benefit 
of  contact  with  the  living  teacher ;  enjoying  methods  which  are 
the  outgrowths  of  the  most  profound  theories  of  teaching,  and 
feeling,  for  a  short  time  it  may  be,  but  nevertheless  for  all  the 
years  that  follow,  the  personal  magnetism  and  inspiration  which 
the  gifted  teacher  communicates  to  every  eager  pupil. 

3.  In  the  large  number  of  Sunday-school  normal  pupils,  in 
the  sixty  or  more  assembly  centres,  who,  by  the  university  method 
at  its  best,  have  for  a  long  term  of  years  been  engaged  in  biblical, 
psychological,  and  pedagogical  training  work. 

4.  In  the  large  number  of  lecture  courses  on  the  widest  range 
of  subjects,  which  have  been  given  at  these  Chautauqua  centres, 
and  in  towns  without  number,  which  by  the  Chautauqua  assem- 
blies have  been  led  to  make  this  experiment. 

5.  In  the  large  number  of  readers  in  that  most  popular  form  of 
the  modern  Chautauqua  work,  the  Chautauqua  Literary  and  Scien- 
tific Circle,  who,  covering  in  a  four  years'  course  of  English 
reading  the  college  outlook,  become  familiar  with  the  college 
world,  its  topics,  its  charms,  its  practical  value,  and  who,  being 
parents  or  the  elder  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  household  (there 
are  few  members  of  the  C.  L.  S.  C.  under  twenty-five  years  of 
age),  are  sure  to  induce  the  younger  people  by  hundreds  and  by 
thousands  to  resolve  upon  the  high-school  and  college  course. 
In  fact,  the  C.  L.  S.  C.  is  a  John  the  Baptist  to  the  college,  pre- 
paring the  way  for  and  announcing  the  benefits  of  the  college, 
and  appealing  to  the  multitude  to  patronize  the  higher  centres  of 
culture. 

6.  In  the  large  number  of  college  graduates  who  have  been 


Chautauqua  and  University  Extension.  37 

enrolled  as  readers  in  the  Chautauqua  Literary  and  Scientific 
Circle.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  only  non-collegians  are 
members  of  this  association.  The  main  object  of  the  college 
being  development  of  intellectual  power,  every  college  graduate 
needs  an  after  course  of  reading.  In  fact,  it  requires  a  four 
years'  course  of  special  study  to  enable  a  man  to  read  with 
facility  and  economy  of  time  a  single  page  of  good  literature. 
College  graduates  who  have  thoroughly  understood  the  C.  L.  S.  C. 
have  availed  themselves  of  this  opportunity  for  reviewing  the 
college  horizon  in  classic  English. 

7.  In  the  large   number  of  college   graduates   who   now,  as 
teachers  and  as  members  of  the  Chautauqua  Literary  and  Scien- 
tific Circle,  are  able  to  make  the  best  use  of  their  educational 
opportunities.     They  are  now  able  to  sit  down  with  less  favored 
fellow-citizens  and  friends,  and,  bringing   the  wealth  of  their 
knowledge  and  the  power  derived  from   their  intellectual  dis- 
cipline, to  help  without  patronizing,  and  thus  to  turn  to  best 
account  the  privileges  they  have  been  permitted  to  enjoy. 

8.  In  the  large  number  of  students  now  in  college  because  of 
the  Chautauqua  direction  and  inspiration.     Parents  who  thought 
but  little  of  the  higher  education  have  through  the  literature  of 
Chautauqua,  through  the  Chautauqua  lectures,  through  the  C.  L. 
S.  C.  reading,  been  awakened  to  the  immense  importance  of  a 
college  training  for  boys  and  girls,  and  now,  as  a  result,  their 
children  are  remaining  in  the  high  school,  preparing  for  and 
entering  the  college,  and  all  because  of  the  awakening  and  im- 
petus which  the  Chautauqua  Movement  has  caused. 

Thus  Chautauqua  recognizes  and  uses  all  educational  agencies 
and  institutions ;  commands  all  scholarship  ;  plants  the  seeds  of 
college  life  in  the  homes  of  the  people ;  prepares  young  people  to 
make  better  college  students ;  supplements  the  college  prepara- 
tion with  opportunities  for  advanced  work  after  graduating;  and, 
above  all,  puts  college  graduates  to  their  best  use,  that  of  helping 
others. 


THE    CHURCH   AND   UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

BY   REV.    JOHN   S.  MACINTOSH,  D.D. 

THE  Church,  University  Extension, — two  great  aggressive 
forces, — are  they  to  clash,  or  to  co-operate,  perhaps  combine  ? 
Important  and  pressing  question  !  The  Church  is  a  force  ;  Uni- 
versity Extension  a  new  but  wonderfully  fast-growing  force; 
and  it  has  come  to  stay,  perhaps  with  change  of  form  and  mani- 
festations, but  not  to  disappear  as  a  real  existent,  penetrative, 
and  changeful  force.  And  these  two  great  forces  must  touch ; 
but  not,  I  am  assured,  as  foes,  but  as  hearty,  mutually  respecting, 
and  confiding  friends,  who  are  co-workers  for  the  larger  common 
weal,  and  who  have  largest  interests  in  common.  Marked  affini- 
ties have  they,  and  they  will  be  bound  in  closest  alliance  activities. 

The  Church, — and  observe  I  use  this  word  in  the  very  broad- 
est possible  of  broad  sense  and  comprehension, — the  Church  is, 
has  been,  and  ever  must  be  democratic,  educational,  revolu- 
tionary, and  that  for  the  highest  ends  and  with  the  finest  and 
the  mightiest  weapons.  And  here  is  a  movement  pre-eminently 
democratic,  for  it  says  old  privileges  must  be  given  freely  out 
from  patrician  hands  to  the  populace ;  educational,  for  it  takes 
out  not  only  the  school-master  but  the  college  professor  and  the 
university  specialist  for  the  higher  and  more  exact  teaching  of 
the  people,  who  are  not  to  be  amused  by  mere  popular  addresses, 
but  trained  by  systematic  instruction,  exact  to  the  last  point  of 
accuracy,  and  yet  taking  the  most  seductive  garb  of  all  winsome 
speech  ;  revolutionary  of  the  settled  ways  of  centuries  and  of 
ideas  fixed  seemingly  as  the  hills,  and  aims  that  appeared  the 
only  possibilities  in  the  case.  Startling  affinities,  verily,  between 
the  old  mother  and  the  young  boy.  If  there  be  any  one  thing 
more  than  another  that  the  Church  has  proclaimed  on  the  house- 
tops, it  is  this,  that  rank  has  responsibilities,  that  special  privi- 
leges have  special  duties  to  discharge,  and  that  from  him  to 


The  Church  and  University  Extension.  39 

whom  men  have  given  much  will  they  require  the  more;  we  get 
only  to  give ;  and,  unless  I  misread  it  utterly,  that  lies  in  the 
heart  of  this  movement  to  lift  the  University  out  of  its  sacred 
seclusion  where  luxuriantly  it  has  enjoyed  its  garden  of  pleasant 
fruits,  and  order  it  to  carry  its  best  systems,  its  best  work,  its 
best  sons  and  daughters  out  to  those  who  are  thirsting  on  the 
hot  fields  and  fainting  by  the  dusty  road-sides  of  crowding  life. 
The  Church  working  for  the  people  and  with  the  people,  work- 
ing to  enlighten,  working  to  turn  the  world  upsidedown  that  the 
right  side  may  be  brought  up  and  kept  up,  the  Church  must 
and  will  find  one  of  her  best  friends  and  strongest  allies  in  this 
great  popular,  educational,  and  revolutionary  movement. 

The  Church  has  already  taken  sides,  and  that  within  our  lines ; 
she  is  even  now  on  our  side  of  the  fence ;  not  against  but  for  us. 
Two  proofs  exist.  One  of  the  earliest  advances  in  this  educa- 
tional revolution  was  made  within  the  lines  of  the  great  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  under  the  magnetic  leadership  of  Bishop  Vin- 
cent and  the  dashing  flag  of  Chautauqua.  The  other  took  place 
under  the  blue  banner  of  Presbyterian  ism,  and  in  staid  old 
Scotland,  where  a  few  years  ago  "  perfervidum  ingenium  Scoto- 
rum"  devised  a  carefully  graduated  system  of  "Instruction  for 
Youth"  by  special  text-books,  by  appointed  lectures  and  lec- 
turers, by  class-work,  examinations,  and  certificates,  which  has 
in  it  the  very  essentials  and  the  vitality  of  this  University  Ex- 
tension Movement.  And  what,  let  me  ask,  has  been  the  special 
aim  in  work  and  the  great  argument  in  printed  page  of  that  most 
true  churchman,  who  is  in  touch  with  so  large  a  part  of  the 
Church-world,  and  whom  I  am  glad  to  call  my  friend,  the 
thoughtful  Henry  C.  Trumbull,  but  one  long  struggle  and 
splendid  plea  for  that  very  union  of  exact  and  advancing  scholar- 
ship fully  popularized  and  of  careful,  continuous  class-work  and 
searching  catechetics  which,  as  I  take  it,  are  two  of  the  highest 
ideals  and  truest  glories  of  University  Extension. 

And,  further,  it  has  been  my  happy  lot,  because  of  my  special 
work  in  our  Society,  to  get  into  large  and  close  correspondence 
with  the  clergy,  especially  the  junior  clergy,  all  across  the  con- 
tinent j  and  I  know  how  truly  sympathetic  they  are ;  how  their 


4O       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

eager  eyes  are  fixed  on  us  in  hope,  and  how  many  of  their  lore- 
loving  souls  are  hungering  for  some  of  this  living  bread.  The 
Church  is  on  the  side  of  this  work. 

I.  WHAT  CAN  THE  CHURCH  DO  FOR  THE  MOVEMENT? 

That  is  a  practical  and  a  suggestive  question. 

1.  The  Church  can  and  should  extend  to  us  sympathetic  and 
honorable  recognition.     Recognition,  I  say,  not  patronage  and 
protection,  not  the  demands  of  a  superior  nor  the  dictates  of 
a  lord.     The  first  is  not  needed,  and  the  second  will  not  be 
brooked.     But   recognition,    frank   and   friendly,   full   of   true 
respect  and  ardent  sympathy  and  unhesitating  confidence  for  a 
movement  which  in  its  own  distinctive  and  appropriate  sphere  is 
marked  by  those  very  popular,  philanthropic,  and  progressive 
features   that   form  part  of   the  sweetest  charm  and  strongest 
claims  of  the  Church  herself.     Here  is  an  effort  honestly  made 
to  flood  the  thick  darkness  with  true  light,  to  sweeten  human 
society  by  the  fresh,  clean  breezes  from  the  higher  hills  of  truth, 
and  to  broaden  human  souls  through  healthy,  stimulating,  but 
wisely-regulated  exercises  on  the  wholesome  fields  of  enlarging 
thought.     The  Church  can  say  and  show  that  she  appreciates  and 
respects  and  trusts  this  undertaking ;  and  I  am  persuaded  that 
she  stands  ready  everywhere  to  do  this  helpful  service. 

2.  The  Church  can  materially  aid.     Materially,  I  say;  and 
that  in  many  important  directions.     To  make  plain  my  point,  let 
me  choose  a  definite  illustration.     Come  with  me  to  one  of  our 
young,  growing,  and  wide-awake  towns ;  at  the  very  centre  of  its 
life,  perhaps  its  very  strongest,  highest,  and  most  impulsive  life, 
stands  a  Church  of  some  persuasion  ;  that  Church  has  a  great 
plant,    an   organized   body   of   zealous  workers,    a   large,   fine 
lecture-room  or  chapel,  a  library,  with  a  librarian,  a  circle  of 
readers,  and  no  small  resources  in  money  and  appliances,  such 
as  magic  lanterns,  black-boards,  maps,  and  such  like.     Now,  that 
lecture-room  or  chapel  is  exactly  what  is  often  needed  for  local 
centre  work ;  that  library  may  be  easily  made,  under  guidance 
and  realized  wants,  the  storehouse  of  standard  books  and  works 
of  reference ;  the  treasury  may  be  fairly  drawn  upon  for  a  part 


The  Church  and  University  Extension.  41 

of  the  cost  of  working;  and  the  bands  of  ardent  youth  may 
become  the  active  propagandists  and  the  wise  gray  heads  the 
shrewd  advisers  and  steady  supporters  of  this  church-helping 
work.  What  is  possible  there  is  easily  possible  in  countless 
other  points,  both  urban  and  rural. 

3.  The  Church  can  lend  moral  assistance.     Here  is  one  of  the 
finest  allies  the  Church  can  desire  in  her  own  stern  fight  for  the 
brighter  days  and  the  better  hearts.     A  voice,  a  new  voice,  has 
been  lifted  in  the  waste ;  a  young,  clear  voice  that,  with  fresh 
tones  and  with  varied  phrase,  tells  the  old  message  of  human 
inspiration  and  uplifting  "the  kingdom  of  heaven  has  come 
nigh  unto  you,"  and  the  common  people  are  hearing  gladly. 
Into  the  arena  where  the  fight  is  against  the  lower  and  the  lust- 
ful for  the  higher  and  the  holier,  against  the  bestial  for  the 
spiritual,   for    the  mental  and  moral  against   the  material,  for 
thought  that   may  master    passion,  for   reason    that  may  keep 
under  the  flesh,  for  the  school  and  the  book  against  the  saloon 
and   the   brothel, — into   this   arena  of  life   against   death   has 
leaped   a  young  and  lusty  champion  who,  skilful  of  hand  and 
daring  of  soul,  flashes  his  fresh,  strong  blade  in  the  front  and 
the  thick  of  the  fray.     Let  us,  gray  in  the  battle,  cheer  him. 
Ay,  that  we  will,  and  with  all  our  heart ! 

4.  The  Church  can  render  intellectual  help.     She  has  a  host 
of  trained  teachers  in  touch  with   and  trusted  by  the   people, 
whose  special  professional  duty  it  is  to  make  highest  thought  so 
thoroughly  their  own  that  they  make  it  level  to  the  work-dulled 
brains  of  the  hard-pushed  masses ;    whose   reason  of  protected 
existence  is  partly  found  in  the  ability  to  gather  the  most  fine 
gold  and  mint  it  into  the  serviceable  coin  of  daily  use;  and 
whose  life-work  is  to  "go  speak  all  the  words  of  this  life  to  the 
PEOPLE;"  and  these  trained  men  are  University  men,  who  for  six 
or  eight  or  more  years  even  have  been  facing  University  teach- 
ing, familiar  with  University  methods,  and  have  been  fashioned 
by  University  moulds ;  and  these  University  men   are  in  not  a 
few  cases  specialists  in  languages,  in  science,  in  history,  in  an- 
tiquities,   in   economics,   in   philosophy,  or  hygiene,   or   social 
matters;  here  is  a  disciplined  force  of  fighters  for  sweetness  and 


42       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

light,  who  need  only  to  study  the  new  weapon  and  practise  some 
new  drill  to  be  effective  soldiers  in  this  new  crusade, — a  crusade 
which  ought  to  appeal  to  them  more  than  most  others,  because 
they  daily  feel  the  need  of  taking  the  University  down  from  its 
heights  and  its  isolation  to  the  hurly  burly  of  the  thickening 
contest  of  the  multitudes  that  the  battle  for  truth  and  righteous- 
ness may  not  be  a  sad  succession  of  defeats,  but  a  shining  series 
ofgreatening  victories. 

II.     WHAT    CAN    UNIVERSITY    EXTENSION    DO    FOR   THE    CHURCH  ? 

Much,  every  way. 

i.  University  Extension  may  be  the  supplement  of  the  school 
and  the  complement  of  the  Church.  That  were  efficient  help  to 
the  Church. 

If  there  be  one  thing  which  the  State  and  the  Church,  the 
civitas  populi,  and  the  civitas  Dei,  alike  need  more  than  another, 
it  is  a  body  of  educated  citizens,  of  thoughtful  supporters  of 
quick  intelligence,  of  cultured  minds  and  calm,  judicious  spirits, 
able  to  appreciate  arguments,  appropriate  truth,  and  swiftly  adopt 
safe  methods.  The  common  schools,  with  their  noble  staff  of 
self-denying  teachers,  have  done  much,  and  will  yet  do  more,  mag- 
nificent work  for  both  State  and  Church  ;  but,  alas  !  the  stress  of 
human  want  and  the  strain  of  human  life  take  away  our  boys  and 
girls  just  when  the  mind  has  begun  to  be  truly  quickened,  when 
habits  of  attention  have  been  formed,  when  the  primary  lessons 
have  been  imparted,  and  the  first  fertilizing  thought-germs  have 
been  implanted ;  and  the  mournful  consequence  is  that  the  state 
has  not  her  supreme  bench  of  final  judgment  filled  by  the  fully- 
taught  and  highly-trained  intellects  that  are  needed  by  her  for 
her  storm-defiant  permanence  and  for  her  swifter  and  secure  prog- 
ress; and  the  Church  must  needs  keep  to  the  first  principles  of 
the  vast  realm  of  special  truth  which  God  and  humanity  have 
intrusted  and  conceded  to  her.  The  school  wants  a  supplement ; 
and  this  University  Extension  may  and  should  step  into  the  gap 
and  fill  up  the  void. 

With  this  supplement  of  the  school  the  Church  needs  her  own 
complement.  If  she  is  to  do  in  her  own  proper  field  her  very  best 


f     ^^r 

••       vVv        •'"' 
mversity  Extension. 


The  Church  and  University  Extension.  43 

and  her  highest  work,  then  the  men  and  the  women  she  deals  with 
need  to  know  many  things  and  much  of  some  of  the  things  which 
she  has  neither  the  time  nor  the  best  methods  of  teaching.  To 
use  a  common  phrase  and  yet  a  true  one,  "  the  man  who  reads  only 
his  Bible  will  not  read  very  much  out  of  that ;"  he  will  not  step 
into  that  heavy-laden  and  varied  harvest-field  so  equipped  that  he 
shall  bear  away  the  many  and  richest  golden  sheaves.  That  book 
is  a  library,  and  needs  an  increasing  library  to  explain  it.  All 
ways  in  the  old  world  have  led  to  the  Imperial  City,  and  each 
road  brought  a  new  student  to  the  Seven  Hills,  who  for  himself 
saw  what  none  other  eye  had  taught ;  and  every  pathway  of  real 
knowledge  and  clean,  clear  truth  leads  to  the  golden  City  of  the 
SUN  ;  and  it  is  the  souls  of  varied  wants,  of  fresh  thoughts,  and 
newly-quickened  powers,  who  will  find  and  carry  away  most  of 
the  divine  culture.  The  Church  needs  to  have  her  own  work 
complemented  by  work  without  the  sacred  walls ;  and  the  Uni- 
versity Extension  along  with  other  educational  forces  may  and 
can  be  this  necessary  complement. 

2.  University  Extension  can  and  will  help  the  Church  by 
enabling  her  younger  clergy  to  carry  on  their  studies  systemati- 
cally without  giving  up  their  parish  and  pastoral  duties.  For 
such  extra-university  assistance  and  guidance  there  is  already,  and 
there  will  be  daily  growing,  a  strongly-felt  and  widely-expressed 
need  and  want.  Upon  this  matter  I  can  speak  with  a  good  deal 
of  definiteness  and  personal  knowledge.  To  me,  as  Chairman  of 
the  Home-Study  department  of  our  common  work,  letters  have 
poured  in  from  all  parts  of  our  lands  and  all  sections  of  the  Church 
eagerly  asking  how,  in  what  ways,  with  what  graduated  systems 
of  study,  in  how  many  different  branches,  and  on  what  terms  we 
were  preparing  to  deal  with  the  junior  clergy  who  might  desire  to 
carry  forward  to  further  points  of  knowledge  their  old  studies,  or 
who  might  wish  to  push  investigations  out  on  new  lines.  An 
immediate  answer  to  such  questions  can  be  seen  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Sacred  Literature,  now  made  a  part  of  our  general  work. 
Another  answer  may  be  found  in  special  courses  for  special 
students  at  local  centres.  And  still  another  in  a  carefully-prepared 
course  with  correspondence  for  separate  and  home  students. 


44       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

And  3d,  University  Extension  may  tell  beneficially  on  the 
Church  by  the  introduction  of  its  popular  methods  and  peculiar 
features  into  the  older  ways  and  systems  of  Church  instruction. 
This  direct  and  positive  influence  has  already  proved  itself. 
In  this  city,  my  learned  and  wide-awake  friend,  Dr.  Henry  C. 
McCook,  as  devoted  a  churchman  as  he  is  distinguished  a  scien- 
tist, conducted  last  winter  a  series  of  church  lectures  on  Hebrew 
Prophecy  and  Prophets  on  the  exact  plans  of  University  Exten- 
sion, with  popular  lectures,  printed  syllabus,  subsequent  class 
work,  and  final  examinations ;  and  all  with  distinguished  honor 
to  himself,  success  in  his  work,  and  signal  advantage  both  to  the 
ordinary  hearer  and  the  actual  student.  On  successive  winters 
I  have  myself  carried  on  courses  on  Biblical  Introductions  and 
Biblical  Theology  whose  essential  features  were  those  of  this 
system.  Let  then  there  be  no  strife  between  us,  we  are  brethren 
of  the  light  and  of  the  day ;  let  the  effort  be  the  mutual  stimu- 
lation and  the  common  good ;  and  the  only  rivalry  and  struggle 
be  who  can  do  the  most  for  our  common  land  and  common 
citizenship,  and  who  can  do  it  best  and  quickest. 


UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION  AND   THE  YOUNG 
MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. 

BY   WALTER   C.    DOUGLAS, 

General  Secretary  of  the  Philadelphia  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 

THE  object  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  de- 
fined to  be  the  physical,  intellectual,  social,  and  spiritual  im- 
provement of  young  men.  In  other  words,  its  high  ideal  is  the 
development  of  the  entire  man.  To  develop  the  young  men 
intellectually,  it  uses  libraries,  reading-rooms,  literary  societies, 
lectures,  and  evening  classes. 

Any  young  man  of  good  character,  of  any  race,  religion,  or 
condition  in  life,  may  join  it,  and  hence  it  has  all  classes  of 
young  men  in  its  membership,  but,  with  the  exception  of  quite 
a  large  student  element,  its  ranks  are  filled  mainly  with  clerks 
and  mechanics.  In  some  sections  of  this  city  the  latter  pre- 
dominate, in  others  the  former.  They  mingle  in  all  its  buildings 
in  varying  proportions.  They  are,  of  course,  all  working  during 
the  day  for  a  living.  The  Association  seeks  to  provide  for  their 
wants  in  their  leisure  hours.  The  Association  aims  not  only  to 
develop  the  young  men  along  all  the  main  lines  of  their  lives, 
but  also  to  ward  off  things  that  would  degrade  and  injure  them. 
A  young  man  at  work  is  all  right.  It  is  the  manner  in  which  he 
spends  his  leisure  time  that  gives  moral  coloring  to  his  life  and 
decides  his  future  value  to  home,  to  his  employer,  and  to  the 
state.  His  avocation  is  as  important  as  his  vocation,  and  every 
young  man  should  have  some  good  occupation  for  leisure  as  well 
as  business  hours.  Robert  J.  Burdette  half  humorously  but  alto- 
gether wisely  puts  it  in  this  way:  "My  son,  you  complain  of 
hard  work  killing  you,  of  long  business  hours.  But  it  is  not  the 
hard  work  that  is  hurting  you,  it  is  not  the  long  hours  from 
8  A.M.  to  5  P.M.,  but  it  is  the  interval,  my  boy,  that  is  killing 
you.  It  is  the  interval  between  6  P.M.  and  midnight." 

45 


46       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

The  Association  steps  in  at  this  point,  takes  hold  of  young 
men  in  the  critical  period  from  sixteen  to  twenty-five  years,  and 
seeks  to  lead  them  to  use  means  that  will  help  and  strengthen 
them  physically,  mentally,  and  spiritually.  It  is  not  enough  to 
say  to  young  men,  "  Thou  shalt  not,"  but  we  must  fill  their  lives 
with  better  things.  In  other  words,  it  is  an  adaptation  in  prac- 
tical things  of  Dr.  Chalmers's  famous  use  of  "the  expulsive 
power  of  new  affections." 

The  educational  work  of  the  Association  has  grown  greatly 
within  the  past  thirty  years.  In  my  judgment,  to-day  it  is  the 
greatest  of  all  our  agencies  in  drawing  young  men  into  our 
membership.  To  me  this  is  profoundly  gratifying,  and  refutes 
the  charge  sometimes  made  that  the  young  men  of  to-day  are 
frivolous.  The  Associations  are  offering  great  social  attractions 
and  many  healthful  recreations  for  the  tired  brains  and  bodies  of 
young  men ;  but,  after  all,  that  which  requires  most  work,  hard 
study,  and  application  is  the  thing  which  draws  the  largest  pro- 
portion of  young  men  from  mill,  shop,  and  office  to  our  build- 
ings in  the  evenings.  The  practical  talks  and  historical  or 
scientific  lectures  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  have  for  years 
been  attended  by  an  average  of  eleven  hundred  young  men, 
while  in  our  educational  classes  last  winter  there  were  enrolled 
twelve  hundred  and  eighty-eight  young  men.  In  point  of  mere 
numbers  it  compared  favorably  with  the  undergraduate  depart- 
ments of  many  of  our  large  universities. 

But  these  studies  relate  almost  entirely  to  business  life.  They 
aim  to  prepare  clerks  and  mechanics  for  better  and  more  useful 
lives  in  their  respective  occupations.  This  is  good,  but  there  is 
something  more  important, — viz.,  to  prepare  young  men  for 
higher  and  better  citizenship.  In  the  words  of  the  English 
leaders  of  University  Extension,  "to  make  good  workmen  is 
important,  to  make  good  citizens  is  more  important."  For 
years  there  had  been  a  growing  sense  of  need  in  our  more  ad- 
vanced Associations  in  this  respect.  With  their  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  members  all  young  men,  they  may  become,  and  in- 
deed are,  great  training-schools  of  American  citizens  of  a  higher 
type.  Our  experience  has  shown  us  that  in  our  American  cities 


The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  47 

there  are  thousands  of  young  men  of  as  bright  minds  and  eager, 
ambitious  spirits  as  ever  matriculated  in  the  colleges  of  our 
land.  But  they  have  had  no  advantages.  They  are  poor,  or 
their  parents  died  when  they  were  young,  and  they  have  had  to 
go  to  work  early.  They  are  at  a  disadvantage  in  life  through 
lack  of  mental  equipment.  They  are  not  only  fighting  its  battles 
with  one  hand  tied,  but  they  are  also  shut  out  from  worlds  of 
enjoyment  known  only  to  the  student. 

The  majority  of  these  young  men,  it  is  true,  have  come  to  us 
seeking  only  for  "bread  and  meat"  education, — i.e.,  for  that 
knowledge  which  will  help  them  to  advancement  in  their  daily 
business.  But  there  has  been  a  minority  who  have  come  asking 
how  they  might  prepare  themselves  for  college  or  get  higher  lit- 
erary culture.  We  have  been  unable  as  yet  to  do  much  for  this 
class. 

It  was  just  at  this  moment  that  University  Extension  came 
before  us  with  its  magnificent  promise.  And  its  coming  has  been 
hailed  with  joy  by  these  eager,  earnest  young  men,  who  were 
brain-hungry  and  had  been  crying  out  for  supply  in  this  direc- 
tion. 

The  reasons  why  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  should 
co-operate  in  University  Extension  may  be  summed  up  under 
two  heads.  The  first  is  because  it  has  the  facilities  for  doing  the 
work.  Three  things  are  considered  important  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  local  centre  for  the  Extension  of  University  teaching, 
— viz.,  an  existing  organization  of  some  kind  to  afford  a  nucleus 
of  attendance,  a  suitable  hall  or  rooms  for  lectures  and  classes, 
and  reference  libraries  or  conveniences  for  handling  books.  The 
Association  possesses  these  requisites.  In  the  second  place, 
University  Extension  being  clearly  a  movement  of  the  highest 
public  good,  and  placing  educational  privileges  heretofore  de- 
nied them  within  reach  of  multitudes  of  young  men,  the  Asso- 
ciation should  gladly  co-operate  with  it  on  these  accounts.  It 
should  do  so  to  that  extent  that  will  not  interfere  with  its  other 
work  or  diminish  what  it  offers  to  young  men.  This  I  take  to 
be  the  only  limitations  upon  it.  The  Association  aims  to  give  to 
the  world  as  the  final  product  of  its  work  a  young  man  intel- 


48       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

lectual  as  well  as  spiritual,  and  there  seems  no  reason  why  its  co- 
operation with  University  Extension  should  not  prove  a  union  of 
forces  that  will  greatly  advance  its  efforts  to  realize  this  high 
ideal  of  an  all-around  man. 

The  extent  and  method  of  co-operation  we  think  may  be 
readily  and  satisfactorily  defined.  Our  experience  in  Philadel- 
phia has  been  entirely  free  from  difficulty  or  embarrassment. 
The  extent  and  method  of  co-operation  in  Philadelphia  have  been 
as  follows :  representative  Association  men  are  serving  upon  the 
committees  of  the  various  local  centres.  A  centre  has  been 
formed  at  the  Central  Branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation, at  Fifteenth  and  Chestnut  Streets,  which  is  known  as 
Association  Local  Centre.  The  Association  puts  at  the  service 
of  this  centre  office  facilities,  attention  from  office  help,  library, 
and  free  use  of  committee-  and  class-rooms,  so  far  as  its  own 
work  will  permit.  The  trustees  who  hold  Association  Hall  for 
purposes  of  revenue  have  granted  the  free  use  of  it  for  the  open- 
ing lecture  of  each  course,  and  have  made  a  special  rate  for  such 
lecture-courses  as  required  this  large  hall.  The  Committee  of 
Management  of  Association  Local  Centre  has  no  organic  con- 
nection whatever  with  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  in 
the  same  building.  There  are  upon  it  two  or  three  representa- 
tive Association  men  interested  in  our  educational  work,  but  the 
committee  is  made  up  of  other  interests,  and  is  representative  in 
the  widest  sense  of  all  other  elements  of  the  community.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  religiously  it  represents  Roman  Catholicism, 
Protestantism,  and  Judaism,  while  in  other  respects  it  is  equallv 
omni-representative. 

As  will  thus  be  seen,  there  is  no  organic  connection  between 
the  two  bodies,  as  there  is  none  between  any  other  of  the  four- 
teen or  more  University  Extension  centres  of  this  city  and 
neighborhood  and  the  various  universities,  societies,  and  insti- 
tutes in  or  with  which  they  are  held.  It  is  a  matter  of  co-opera- 
tion without  any  such  relation  as  would  interfere  with  the  full 
development  and  free  action  of  each  institution. 

The  managers  of  Association  Local  Centre  have  voluntarily 
put  all  University  Extension  tickets  at  half-rates  to  young  men 


The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  49 

who  have  already  paid  their  membership-fees  in  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  They  are  also  generous  in  making  pro- 
vision for  young  men  whose  resources  may  be  too  slender  for  a 
double  tax  even  as  slight  as  this. 

Two  questions  will  present  themselves  to  managers  of  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations.  The  first  is  as  to  whether  young 
men  have  availed  themselves  of  these  courses  to  any  extent. 
Clearly  if,  by  co-operating  with  other  institutions  that  have  edu- 
cational features,  we  can  bring  to  deserving  young  men  the 
priceless  advantages  of  university  culture  we  ought  to  do  so. 

The  objection  has  sometimes  been  made  to  University  Exten- 
sion abroad  and  here  that  it  reaches  and  benefits  women  much 
more  largely  than  men.  There  is  no  apology  for  it  on  this  ac- 
count in  England,  and  there  will  be  none  here.  If  this  move- 
ment touches,  quickens,  and  broadens  the  intellectual  life  of  the 
mothers,  wives,  and  daughters  of  our  nation,  if  it  irradiates  our 
homes  with  high  intellectual  joys,  if  it  pervades  the  womanhood 
of  America  with  its  magnificent  culture,  then  so  much  the  better 
for  University  Extension  and  for  our  country. 

Yet  as  managers  intrusted  with  a  definite  work  for  young  men, 
we  must  consider  the  question  of  the  effect  of  this  upon  our 
efforts  in  behalf  of  young  men,  and  whether  it  reaches  them  as 
a  class  to  any  valuable  extent.  To  this  we  answer  that  it  is 
reaching  young  men,  though  not  to  the  same  extent  as  others, 
and  more  in  the  evening  than  afternoon  lectures.  This  has  been 
true  both  last  winter  and  this.  History,  literature,  economics, 
and  science  have  all  had  a  number  of  young  men  present.  A 
class  in  higher  mathematics  for  two  winters  has  had  an  average 
attendance  of  nearly  one  hundred,  the  most  of  whom  were 
skilled  mechanics.  In  the  evening  classes  upon  socialism  now 
being  conducted  in  this  holiday  season  by  Mr.  Sadler  (of  Oxford 
University),  I  have  seen  many  intelligent,  earnest  students  that 
at  other  times  I  have  seen  in  the  class-rooms  of  this  Association. 

The  general  effect  of  the  introduction  of  University  Extension 
into  our  work  may  be  briefly  summed  up.  It  has  quickened  in- 
tellectual aspiration  among  the  young  men  in  our  membership. 
It  has  opened  unexplored  mines  of  literary  wealth  and  revealed 

4 


50       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

a  new  world  of  beauty  and  truth.  It  has  stretched  before  young 
men  a  continuation  of  study  and  mental  growth  beyond  the 
more  limited  and  so-called  more  practical  studies  of  our  own 
class-rooms.  It  has  put  within  the  reach  of  thousands  of  them 
that  greatly-coveted  but  heretofore  denied  boon  and  blessing, 
liberal  culture  and  university  instruction  of  the  very  highest 
order.  Attendance  upon  such  lectures,  by  such  teachers,  for  a 
few  seasons,  will  give  any  young  man  a  truly  broad  and  liberal 
culture ;  and  who  can  estimate  the  ever-increasing  power  of  such 
young  men  for  future  years  in  their  own  social  and  business 
circles  ?  By  co-operation  with  this  movement,  University  Ex- 
tension may  be  made  the  fitting  crown  and  completed  perfection 
of  that  educational  effort  into  which  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  puts  so  much  genuine  sympathy  and  vigorous  work, 
because  it  believes,  as  it  avows,  in  the  intellectual,  the  physical, 
the  social,  and  the  spiritual  development  of  the  young  man, 
— that  is,  in  the  development  of  the  whole  man.  This  is  its 
ideal,  and  in  University  Extension,  while  it  can  properly  aid  a 
great  progressive  and  uplifting  movement  for  the  good  of  the 
general  public,  it  can  incidentally  but  effectually  advance  its 
efforts  in  behalf  of  that  special  class  for  whom  it  exists  and 
labors, — the  young  men  of  our  country  and  the  world. 


THE  COLLEGES  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION, 

BY   CHARLES    DEGARMO,    PH.D., 
President  of  Swarthmore  College. 

THE  idea  is  sometimes  advanced  that  only  large  institutions, 
able  and  willing  to  contribute  considerable  sums  of  money  to  the 
cause,  can  successfully  prosecute  this  new  method  of  education. 
It  is  argued  that  this  work  can  never  pay  for  itself,  so  that  much 
missionary  effort  must  be  exerted  to  keep  the  movement  alive. 
If  this  is  true,  the  smaller  college  would  seem  to  be  barred  out, 
for  its  internal  needs  are  usually  so  numerous  and  so  imperative 
that  the  trustees  do  not  feel  that  they  can  contribute  much  pure 
missionary  work,  or  invest  much  capital  in  advertising,  whose 
return  must  be  slow  at  best,  even  if  discernible  at  all. 

When  the  smaller  college  attempts  to  embark  on  University 
Extension  work,  it  will  meet  two  species  of  difficulties,  one  per- 
taining to  finance  and  the  other  pertaining  to  lecturers.  It  is 
expensive  business  to  arouse  and  inform  a  community  regarding 
all  the  phases  of  the  University  Extension  movement.  There 
must  be  much  printed  matter,  and  not  a  little  correspondence. 
A  clerical  force  is  often  necessary.  The  American  Society  for 
the  Extension  of  University  Teaching  has  spent  many  thousand 
dollars  in  gathering,  collecting,  and  disseminating  knowledge 
and  experience  in  this  field.  In  one  way  only  does  it  occur  to 
me  that  a  small  college  can  efficiently  and  cheaply  do  this  neces- 
sary work,  and  that  is  by  allying  itself  with  some  central  society 
that  has  made  a  business  of  doing  just  this  thing.  Were  the 
experience  and  knowledge  of  the  American  Society,  for  in- 
stance, at  the  service  of  Swarthmore  College,  we  could  by  this 
means  inform  and  stimulate  the  public  in  a  way  and  to  an  extent 
quite  beyond  anything  we  could  possibly  do  at  our  own  expense 
and  from  our  own  experience.  The  United  States  mail  service 
is  cheap,  rapid,  and  efficient,  so  that  no  real  difficulty  seems  to 

51 


52       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

arise  when  we  consider  colleges  remote  from  the  head-quartets  of 
a  society.  At  Swarthmore  the  central  society  can  stir  up  and 
inform  our  neighboring  communities  for  us.  But,  though  they 
might  find  this  difficult  to  do  at  a  distance,  it  is  clear  that  with 
plenty  of  printed  matter  of  the  right  sort  a  committee  of  the 
college  faculty  could  soon  arouse  an  adequate  interest  in  the 
subject. 

The  next  great  difficulty  in  the  small  college  is  the  lack  of  the 
fight  kind  of  men  to  do  profitable  University  Extension  work. 
Three  lines  of  action  are  open,  with  possible  combinations.  In 
the  first  place,  members  of  the  present  faculty  may  do  all  the 
outside  teaching.  But  the  objection  is  near  at  hand,  that  they 
are  already  taxed  to  the  extent  of  their  ability,  so  that  any  in- 
crease would  either  overburden  them  or  render  some  of  their 
work  superficial.  The  next  plan  is  one  suggested  by  Mr.  Dewey, 
of  New  York.  It  is  that  the  college  should  employ  new  men, 
who  shall  do  a  part  of  their  work  in  the  college  and  a  part  in 
the  field,  former  members  of  the  faculty  doing  the  same,  both 
classes  looking  partly  to  the  college  and  partly  to  the  public  for 
their  salaries.  This  sounds  feasible,  and  has  some  considerable 
advantages.  The  plan  has,  however,  a  serious  financial  diffi- 
culty. With  all  due  regard  to  the  missionary  spirit  that  may  be 
burning  in  college  professors,  I  have  little  doubt  that  the  chance 
to  eke  out  a  slender  salary  by  a  little  extra  money  over  and  above 
the  salary  already  fixed  is  one  of  the  largest  factors  in  the  en- 
thusiasm with  which  the  college  professor  goes  into  this  University 
Extension  movement.  Two  hundred  dollars  is  often  the  differ- 
ence between  poverty  and  plenty  to  such  a  man.  Abolish  this 
incentive  to  extra  work,  and  I  shall  expect  to  see  a  marked  dimi- 
nution of  the  present  zeal  for  carrying  education  to  Philistines. 
If  the  college  can  be  induced  to  add  another  man  or  two  to  the 
faculty  out  of  benevolence  or  advertising  enterprise,  there  is  no 
reason  why  even  a  very  small  college  may  not  accomplish  a  great 
good  to  the  community,  and  eventually  to  itself. 

A  third  method  might  be  that  of  fellowships  for  recent  but  able 
graduates  of  the  college,  a  part  or  all  of  the  remuneration  to 
come  from  work  in  the  University  Extension  field.  These  young 


The  Colleges  and  University  Extension.  53 

men  might  pursue  their  chosen  studies  in  the  college,  and  at  the 
same  time  do  some  lecturing  and  a  considerable  amount  of  cleri- 
cal work.  It  would  be  needful  for  some  older  professor  to  guide 
their  efforts,  criticising  their  lectures  both  as  to  matter  and  deliv- 
ery, to  find  them  adequate  ideas  of  how  to  conduct  the  class  and 
correct  the  papers.  These  young  men  would  succeed  much 
better  with  subjects  of  positive  knowledge,  such  as  chemistry  or 
physics,  than  they  would  with  social  sciences  like  economics, 
history,  ethics,  socialism,  politics,  etc.,  for  their  statements  in  the 
former  could  easily  be  verified,  whereas  in  the  latter  only  the 
man  of  wide  knowledge  and  developed  skill  could  hold  his  own 
against  tVit  men  who  would  probably  oppose  him. 

My  conclusions  are  that  the  small  colleges  need  not  be  ruled 
off  the  field  entirely  by  the  large  and  wealthy  universities,  since 
by  co-operation  they  may  all  do  that  each  working  alone  would 
be  unable  to  do  ;  and  that,  aside  from  what  the  regular  professors 
may  be  able  to  do  for  a  little  extra  compensation,  the  most  fea- 
sible plan  seems  to  be  an  extension  of  the  work  by  the  employ- 
ment of  young  men  who  are  seeking  a  new  career  and  are  willing 
to  work  for  small  pay  while  winning  their  spurs. 


A   PROBLEM   IN  UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION. 

BY    MELVIL   DEWEY, 
Secretary  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

NEW  YORK  is  the  only  State  which  maintains  a  department  de- 
voted entirely  to  the  interests  of  higher  education.  From  that 
department  I  wish  to  enter  an  earnest  protest  against  what  seems 
to  me  a  serious  mistake  on  the  part  of  certain  men,  both  in  and 
out  of  the  universities,  who  urge  that  the  general  administrative 
work  of  University  Extension  should  not  be  done  by  the  col- 
leges, and  that  its  instruction  should  not  be  given  by  members 
of  the  faculty.  Such  a  theory  seems  to  me  to  strike  at  the  very 
essence  of  University  Extension  in  its  best  sense,  and  to  deprive 
the  people  on  the  one  side  and  the  universities  on  the  other  of 
great  benefits  to  which  they  are  entitled,  and  on  which  I  hope 
they  will  jealously  insist. 

One  of  the  greatest  gains  of  this  modern  movement  is  that  it 
brings  the  people  and  the  universities  closer  together,  and  this 
proposition  of  independent  work  would  only  tend  to  create  rival- 
ries and  drive  them  farther  apart.  Experience  has  shown  that 
Extension  students  develop  an  affection  and  interest  for  the  in- 
stitution from  which  they  get  their  instruction,  supervision,  and 
guidance.  The  universities  cannot  afford  to  let  this  affection  go 
out  to  other  agencies  when  they  themselves  need  it  so  much  in 
increasing  both  the  moral  and  financial  support  of  the  public. 

There  has  been  proved  to  be  a  demand  for  this  higher  educa- 
tion which  we  call  University  Extension,  for  which  the  people 
are  willing  to  pay.  All  are  agreed  that  the  demand  must  be  met. 
The  issue  is  as  to  which  of  two  methods  will  accomplish  most 
good  with  the  available  means.  We  all  know  that,  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  man,  residence  in  a  university  plays  almost  as  large 
a  part  as  the  actual  studies.  Our  theory  is  that  we  are  to  carry 
54 


A  Problem  in  University  Extension.  55 

the  university  to  those  unable  to  go  into  residence.  It  is  an  es- 
sential of  the  system  that  the  lecturer,  who  week  by  week  goes 
not  so  much  to  instruct  as  to  inspire,  shall  bring  with  him  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  university  atmosphere,  and  this  can  be 
done  only  if  he  is  intimately  connected  with  university  life.  It 
is  not  enough  that  he  may  be  well  versed  in  his  subject,  for  Uni- 
versity Extension  means  the  carrying  of  the  university  spirit  and 
methods  and  ideals.  To  have  this  work  done  by  men  who  are 
not  themselves  connected  with  universities  is  like  a  city  water- 
supply  in  which  the  pipes  run  not  to  a  great  central  reservoir, 
but  to  hundreds  of  independent  scattered  springs. 

Outside  this  main  consideration,  which  people  will  not  always 
understand,  they  greatly  prefer  to  have  a  teacher  from  the  uni- 
versity. There  is  a  certain  dignity  and  public  confidence  insep- 
arable from  the  imprimatur  of  our  great  institutions.  A  lecturer 
on  the  faculty  of  a  great  college  carries  not  only  all  the  weight 
connected  with  his  own  learning  and  personality,  but  also  that 
important  addition  which  comes  from  public  knowledge  that  the 
management  of  that  great  institution  has,  after  careful  investiga- 
tion, found  him  worthy  to  stand  as  its  official  representative.  It 
is  like  a  certified  check,  in  which  the  indorsement  of  the  bank  is 
worth  more  than  the  original  signature. 

Both  university  and  public  will  get  better  teaching  from  a  mar 
who  does  both  kinds  of  work.  There  are  exceptions  to  all  rules  ; 
there  are  men  destined  by  nature  for  research  alone  who  would 
have  little  value  in  Extension  work,  and  some  who  are  doing 
much  to  advance  science  that  have  little  value  in  class  work  in 
college.  These  men  ought  to  be  in  a  place  like  Clark  University 
at  Worcester,  where  there  are  few  students  and  the  whole  time  is 
given  up  to  research  and  production.  There  are  other  men  who 
have  in  a  pre-eminent  degree  the  inspirational  qualities  that  would 
make  them  specially  valuable  in  Extension  work,  but  who  would 
be  of  little  worth  in  research.  The  majority  of  college  profes- 
sors, however,  by  going  out  for  Extension  courses,  will  broaden 
their  view  by  coming  in  contact  with  different  students,  and  by 
following  different  methods,  and  will  bring  back  to  their  college 
classes  a  freshness  and  breadth  of  treatment  which  they  could  not 


56       TJie  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

attain  if  they  remained  constantly  in  the  academic  ruts.  Who 
can  doubt  that  a  professor  who  is  in  constant  contact  with  classes 
which  are  giving  their  whole  time  to  the  study  of  a  subject  will 
be  able  to  handle  the  Extension  classes  more  successfully  than 
one  without  this  wide  experience.  Therefore,  I  insist  that  the 
colleges  and  the  public  will  both  get  better  teaching  for  their 
money  if  Extension  and  college  work  is  done  by  the  same  men. 
A  speaker  just  now  urged  that  the  public  wanted  lecturers  with 
more  of  modern  life  and  spirit  than  the  dull,  uninspiring  college 
professor.  Very  well  j  but  as  representing  officially  the  interests 
of  the  colleges  of  our  great  State,  I  want  to  say  that  the  colleges 
object  just  as  much  as  the  public  to  these  undesirable  professors. 
If  a  man  is  not  good  enough  to  take  charge  of  a  class  giving 
only  a  third  its  time  to  the  study,  he  certainly  is  not  good  enough 
to  have  in  charge  men  who  at  large  expense  are  giving  their  en- 
tire time  to  college  work.  The  fact  is,  that  we  wish  to  rid  our- 
selves of  the  mediocre  and  inferior  professor  both  in  college  and 
Extension  work. 

The  college  president  says,  "  My  faculty  is  already  overworked ; 
it  is  impossible  for  them  to  do  any  of  this  outside  teaching." 
But  this  is  one  of  the  strongest  reasons  why  the  colleges  should 
not  allow  the  money  for  this  outside  teaching  to  flow  into  other 
channels.  There  is  hardly  a  college  in  America  which  would 
not  be  improved  if  some,  if , not  all,  of  its  professors  could  limit 
themselves  in  teaching  to  fewer  subjects  or  to  fewer  phases  of  one 
subject.  Within  a  few  days  I  have  chanced  on  two  specific  illus- 
trations of  this  point.  Professor  A said,  "I  am  teaching 

both  physics  and  natural  history  in  our  college,  and  my  time  is 
so  crowded  I  cannot  get  an  hour  for  anything  else." 

"  Which  subject  do  you  prefer  ?" 

"  Physics ;  my  interest  is  all  in  physics.  I  am  teaching  natural 
history  simply  because  we  haven't  money  to  employ  a  professor 
in  that  subject.  It  is  a  burden  that  takes  the  time  and  strength 
I  ought  to  use  in  developing  my  own  specialty." 

"  What  would  be  the  effect  if,  instead  of  teaching  natural 
history  in  the  college,  you  could  teach  physics  both  in  college 
and  with  Extension  classes  outside?" 


A  Problem  in  University  Extension.  57 

"Why,  I  could  do  vastly  better  work  for  the  college  in 
physics,  and  should  greatly  prefer  this  method." 

Then  somewhere  is  another  man  in  similar  circumstances 
whose  heart  is  in  natural  history,  and  who  would  be  equally  de- 
lighted if  he  could  teach  natural  history  both  in  college  and  in 
his  Extension  classes.  The  problem  is,  shall  Prof.  A.  teach  both 
subjects  in  college  and  Prof.  B.  teach  both  subjects  with  Exten- 
sion classes,  each  of  them  prevented  from  doing  his  best  work 
because  his  energies  are  divided  and  his  time  taken  where  no 
heart  goes  with  it,  or  shall  we  put  both  men  on  the  college  fac- 
ulty, greatly  improving  the  college  instruction  in  both  subjects, 
and  let  both  men  do  Extension  work,  improving  that  just  as 
much.  Both  men  are  to  be  paid  ;  the  college  has  the  money  for 
its  work,  the  Extension  centres  have  the  money  for  their  work, 
and  I  can  think  of  no  greater  folly  than  for  the  colleges  to  neglect 
this  opportunity  of  strengthening  and  enlarging  their  faculties 
and  taking  into  their  treasuries  the  money  which  the  public  is 
ready  to  give  for  college  instruction,  which  it  prefers  shall  come 
from  the  established  institutions,  and  not  from  a  kind  of  higher 
education  peddler  who  has  no  abiding  place. 

The  same  principle,  I  believe,  is  going  to  be  extended  among 
the  colleges  themselves.  For  instance,  I  know  three  colleges,  no 
one  of  which  can  afford  a  full  professor  in  economics,  while  each 
is  very  anxious  to  have  one  term's  instruction  in  that  subject,  and, 
as  it  must  appear  on  the  curriculum,  it  is  attached  to  some  over- 
worked chair  and  taught  in  a  perfunctory  way  without  inspira- 
tion or  adequate  results.  The  time  is  near  when  those  three 
colleges  will  learn  a  lesson  from  business  men,  from  organizers  of 
trusts  and  combinations.  Each  will  contribute  one-third  the 
salary,  and  together  these  colleges  will  employ  a  satisfactory 
professor  of  economics  who  will  give  a  third  of  his  year  to  each 
institution,  and,  by  putting  them  on  the  right  track  and  so  in- 
spiring them  with  an  interest  in  the  subject  that  they  will  continue 
to  study  it  in  after-years,  will  do  more  for  the  students  of  those 
colleges  in  a  single  term  than  would  an  inferior  man  in  giving 
his  whole  time.  The  churches  and  the  schools  are  beginning  to 
learn  that  if  they  are  to  succeed  in  the  great  work  before  them, 


5  8       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

they  must  recognize  the  necessity  of  co-operation  and  organiza- 
tion, just  as  corporations  and  firms  do  in  the  business  world,  and 
I  venture  to  predict  that  the  colleges  that  recognize  this  principle, 
and  even  at  the  cost  of  temporary  embarrassment  meet  the  de- 
mands of  the  public  for  Extension  teaching,  will  be  the  colleges 
that  in  ten  or  twenty  years  will  have  strengthened  their  faculty 
and  forces,  have  increased  their  hold  on  the  public,  and  have 
received  in  return  ample  funds  with  which  to  pay  the  expenses 
incurred  by  their  broader  conception  of  educational  work  and 
educational  duty. 


THE   CITY  AND   UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION. 

BY    SAMUEL   WAGNER, 
Chairman  of  Philadelphia  Committee  on  Courses  and  Centres. 

THE  practical  operations  of  University  Extension  in  a  city 
involve  many  interesting  problems,  upon  the  solution  of  which 
will  depend  very  largely  the  permanent  value  and  success  of  the 
whole  movement  j  for  it  is  in  the  cities  that  we  must  seek  to 
establish  those  strong  centres  in  organization  and  administration 
from  which  the  work  may  extend  to  every  part  of  the  country. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  in  cities  having  one  or  more  well- 
established  institutions  for  higher  education,  for  these  are  the 
storehouses  of  the  food  which  is  to  be  brought  within  reach  of 
all  the  people.  A  brief  consideration,  therefore,  of  the  best 
method  to  secure  a  good  organization  and  thorough  development 
of  the  work  may  not  be  amiss  at  a  conference  like  this. 

The  question  which  confronts  us  is  not  so  much  the  form  of 
organization,  for  that  is  simple  enough,  but  rather  at  what  point 
in  the  development  of  the  work  organization  on  very  clearly- 
defined  lines  should  be  adopted.  There  are  two  views  of  this 
question,  both  of  which  have  many  considerations  of  weight  in 
their  favor.  One  view  is  that  complete  organization  should  fol- 
low, and  not  precede,  the  development  of  the  work, — that  the 
movement  should  be  allowed  at  first  to  have  free  play,  that the 
formation  of  local  centres  should  be  encouraged  at  any  and 
every  point  where  there  may  be  found  those  willing  to  under- 
take their  establishment,  and  that  it  should  be  determined  by 
actual  experiment  where  local  centres  are  really  needed.  The 
other  view  is  based  upon  the  converse  of  this  proposition,  that 
thorough  organization,  in  the  form  which  the  work  is  ultimately 
to  take,  shall  be  adopted  at  the  start,  that  the  work  in  the  whole 
city  shall  be  mapped  out  in  advance,  and  the  location  of  local 
centres  be  determined  with  reference  to  the  size  and  shape  of 

59 


60       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

the  city  and  the  supposed  requirements  of  the  people  in  each 
part  of  it. 

As  the  object  in  view  is  very  clearly  defined,  namely,  that 
facilities  shall  be  afforded  to  all  the  people  of  the  city  to  secure 
continuous,  graded,  and  systematic  instruction  in  those  branches 
which  constitute  the  curriculum  of  a  college  course,  the  practical 
question  is,  how  far  each  of  these  two  views  shall  be  adopted  as  a 
guide  to  reach  that  end.  Let  us  sum  up,  briefly,  what  each  has  in 
its  favor.  As  to  the  first,  it  may  be  said  that  it  recognizes  the  fact 
that  the  University  Extension  movement,  while  strictly  educa- 
tional in  its  character  and  in  its  aims,  is  radically  different,  as 
regards  the  conditions  surrounding  it,  from  the  systems  of  higher 
education  with  which  we  have  heretofore  been  familiar.  It  is  an 
extension  of  university  teaching,  and  takes  the  shape  of  a  co- 
operative movement,  the  co-operating  parties  being  the  people, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  our  universities  and  colleges  on  the  other. 
These  universities  and  colleges  are  great  storehouses  of  learning, 
and  aggregations  of  skilled  teachers,  and  by  means  of  this  plan 
the  facilities  for  liberal  education  are  offered  to  all  who  wish  to 
use  them.  It  would  seem  to  follow,  therefore,  that  the  people 
themselves  should  decide  when  and  where  this  educational  work 
should  be  done,  and  that  local  centres  should  be  established  by 
them  in  such  places  as  they  may  demand  them.  Also,  it  may  be 
said  for  this  view  that  the  scheme,  being  co-operative,  should  be 
protected  in  such  a  way  that  the  people  should  feel  resting  upon 
them  the  obligation  to  do  their  share  of  the  work,  and  this  can 
best  be  effected  by  allowing  the  fullest  freedom  in  the  choice  of 
location  for  local  centres,  and  in  the  local  management  of  them. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  second  of  these  views  has  to  support  it 
the  well-recognized  rule  that  all  educational  work  should  be  done 
upon  accurate  and  clearly-defined  lines ;  that  those  who  are  to  be 
taught  are  by  no  means  the  best  judges  of  what  they  shall  learn, 
or  in  what  order  they  shall  learn  it ;  and  it  may  well  be  urged 
that  any  departure  from  this  rule  would  result  in  desultory  and 
disjointed  work,  having  no  educational  value. 

Now,  we  have  been  engaged  for  the  past  year  and  more  in 
working  out  this  problem  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  hope  that  in 


The  City  and  University  Extension.  61 

working  it  out  here  we  shall  be  able  to  do  so  for  the  whole 
country.  Under  the  conditions  we  have  found  existing  here,  the 
arguments  for  each  of  these  views  to  which  I  have  referred  seem  to 
be  so  conclusive  that,  upon  careful  reflection,  I  think  they  will  be 
found  in  practice  to  be  entirely  in  harmony,  and  not  conflicting  or 
divergent  views.  It  will  be  found  that  the  very  character  of  the 
movement  as  an  educational  scheme  will  require  the  utmost  free- 
dom in  its  operations  until  such  time  as  it  shall  be  fairly  and  fully 
projected  and  its  meaning  and  value  impressed  upon  the  minds  of 
the  people,  and  that,  when  this  is  accomplished,  the  strictest  rules 
of  educational  work  should  be  applied  to  it  in  order  to  give  it  real 
educational  value.  In  Philadelphia,  and  within  a  circle  with  a 
radius  of  forty  or  fifty  miles  around  it,  there  are  now  established 
and  in  operation  nearly  fifty  local  centres,  formed  by  the  people 
themselves  in  each  locality.  They  have  been  organized  with  the 
encouragement  of  the  American  Society,  and  with  its  assistance  in 
the  way  of  information  and  advice,  but  they  are  all  self-support- 
ing. How  many  of  them  will  become  permanent,  centres  for 
continuous  and  graded  instruction  has  yet  to  be  seen,  but  I  think 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  very  considerable  number  of  them  will. 
In  the  mean  time,  every  one  of  them  is,  in  deed  as  well  as  in 
name,  a  centre  for  proclaiming  the  good  news  of  University 
Extension,  and  every  student,  at  every  centre,  is  a  missionary  in 
the  cause.  So  great,  in  the  aggregate,  is  the  number  of  earnest 
students,  that  there  is  every  reason  to  feel  assured  that,  in  the 
near  future,  a  great  many  of  these  centres  will  undertake  and 
carry  on  successfully  continuous,  systematic,  and  graded  work. 
The  American  Society  is  preparing,  under  the  direction  of  the  best 
experts,  outlines  and  details  of  complete  courses  for  continuous 
and  graded  instruction,  and  I  think  it  is  safe  to  say,  in  advance, 
that  a  certificate  of  the  Society  that  a  student  has  successfully 
pursued  any  one  of  these  courses  will  be  entitled  to  the  same 
respect  as  if  the  course  had  been  pursued  at  a  university  or 
college. 

So  far  as  we  have  gone,  therefore,  the  conclusion  as  to  the 
lines  on  which  University  Extension  work  in  the  city  should  be 
conducted  would  seem  to  be  this  :  to  make  the  subject  known  to 


62       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

every  inhabitant  of  the  city,  and  arouse  interest  and  enthusiasm 
in  it  in  every  possible  way ;  to  let  the  movement  have  free  play, 
and  encourage  and  assist  in  the  formation  of  a  local  centre  when- 
ever there  may  be  found  people  ready  and  willing  to  form  one ;  to 
encourage,  in  every  possible  way,  the  establishment  of  continuous 
courses  giving  complete  instruction  in  each  particular  subject; 
and,  unless  all  the  signs  of  the  movement  at  its  present  stage  are 
very  misleading,  assuredly  it  will  follow  that  out  of  all  this 
eager  desire  of  the  people  already  so  clearly  made  manifest,  there 
will  come  a  well-organized  and  thorough  system  of  liberal  edu- 
cation, within  the  reach  of  every  man  and  woman  in  the  country. 


THE   DEVELOPMENT   OF  UNIVERSITY   EXTEN- 
SION. 

BY    MICHAEL   E.    SADLER, 
Secretary  to  the  Oxford  Delegacy  for  University  Extension. 

No  friend  of  University  Extension  can  visit  America  without 
watching  with  interest  and  admiration  the  energy  with  which 
the  movement  has  been  carried  on  in  this  country ;  and  those  of 
us  who  are  engaged  in  promoting  the  system  in  England  will 
derive  much  benefit  from  the  experiments  which  you  are  making, 
and  stimulus  from  the  enthusiasm  with  which  you  are  developing 
the  system.  An  earlier  speaker  at  this  conference  has  asked 
whether,  after  all,  University  Extension  will  enjoy  more  than  a 
transient  popularity,  whether  it  is  anything  more  than  a  novelty 
of  merely  passing  interest.  The  long  history  of  the  movement 
seems  to  me  to  allay  all  suspicion  as  to  its  permanence.  Its  de- 
velopment has  been  natural,  and  part  of  a  larger  movement  in 
University  life. 

In  the  middle  ages,  we  find  that  large  numbers  of  students 
flocked  to  the  great  Universities  from  all  parts  of  Europe.  Rich 
and  poor,  gentle  and  simple,  these  students  passed  along  the  pub- 
lic highways  to  the  great  centres  of  learning,  and  so  destitute  were 
many  of  them  that  we  find  in  the  English  statute-books  old  laws 
empowering  University  students  to  beg  for  their  subsistence. 
But  the  invention  of  the  printing-press  and  the  diffusion  of  books 
made  the  attendance  of  large  numbers  of  these  poor  students 
at  the  Universities  comparatively  unnecessary.  Instead  of  the 
learner  having  necessarily  to  come  to  the  teacher  in  order  to 
realize  his  hope  of  obtaining  knowledge,  it  became  more  eco- 
nomical to  send  to  the  pupil  the  printed  works  of  his  distant 
teacher.  A  third  stage  was,  however,  reached  when  it  was  dis- 
covered that,  as  for  almost  all  learners,  books  alone  are  inade- 

63 


64       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

quate  instruments  of  culture,  the  pupil  needs  the  stimulus  of  the 
living  teacher  to  rouse  his  interest  in  the  printed  book.  The 
development  of  the  railway  system  at  length  made  possible  the 
widest  diffusion  of  the  two  elements  of  the  highest  instruction, 
namely,  the  book  and  the  instructor  of  the  book.  Railroads 
enable  us  to  extend  the  privileges  of  the  most  inspiring  in- 
struction to  a  wider  circle  of  students  than  in  the  early  days 
of  imperfect  communication  could  enjoy  these  educational  ad- 
vantages. 

Turning  to  another  chain  of  changes  in  University  develop- 
ment, we  find  that  in  its  earlier  days  Oxford  suffered  from  the 
somewhat  indiscriminate  attendance  of  students,  old  and  young. 
William  of  Wykeham  took,  however,  the  important  step  of  re- 
lieving the  University  from  the  attendance  of  young  scholars  by 
establishing  in  connection  with  his  new  college  at  Oxford  a  sub- 
sidiary college  at  Winchester,  where  the  lads  intended  for  sub- 
sequent University  training  might  obtain  the  elements  of  learn- 
ing. It  is  significant  that  this  first  movement  for  University 
Extension,  which  aimed  at  the  establishment,  in  connection  with 
the  University,  of  a  training  or  preparatory  college  in  another 
town,  was  in  itself  a  part  of  the  movement  for  University  in- 
tension. The  college  at  Winchester  was  designed  by  William  of 
Wykeham,  both  to  extend  the  influence  of  the  University,  and 
to  relieve  the  latter  institution  from  certain  branches  of  teaching 
which  were  more  appropriately  done  outside,  and  it  is  to  be 
noticed  that  the  later  movement  for  University  Extension  has 
been  similarly  accompanied  by  a  concentration  and  development 
of  the  higher  studies  within  the  University  itself.  The  move- 
ments of  University  Extension  and  University  intension  are  con- 
current elements  in  the  history  of  the  University.  As  the  Uni- 
versity becomes  more  sensible  of  its  duties  towards  extra-mural 
students,  so  also  it  becomes  more  sensitive  to  the  claims  of  those 
higher  studies  which  it  is  its  noblest  privilege  to  prosecute.  Both 
movements,  in  short,  are  signs  of  a  quickening  of  University 
life,  a  sensitiveness  to  two  related  duties,  an  aspiration  towards  a 
higher  and  more  perfect  efficiency.  And  by  itself  superintending 
the  wider  diffusion  of  knowledge,  a  University  familiarizes  the 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  65 

public  with  the  idea  of,  and  so  protects  the  higher  interests  of, 
research. 

The  movement  for  University  reform  began,  so  far  as  Oxford 
is  concerned,  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century,  when  the 
efforts  of  a  few  eminent  graduates,  notably  of  Dean  Jackson,  of 
Christ  Church,  and  Provost  Eveleigh,  of  Oriel  College,  were 
directed  towards  raising  the  University  from  the  slough  of  intel- 
lectual despond  into  which  it  had  previously  fallen.  The  intro- 
duction of  the  system  of  examination  for  an  Honor  Degree 
roused  the  energy  of  the  best  students.  This  great  change  was 
followed  by  the  purifying  of  the  social  life  of  the  University,  a 
change  honorably  associated  with  the  famous  Oxford  Movement, 
the  great  leaders  of  which  were  John  Henry  Newman  and  his 
contemporaries.  Thus  quickened,  the  University  became  sensi- 
tive to  the  claims  of  further  duties,  and  the  middle  of  the  present 
century  saw  the  abolition  of  the  chief  of  those  religious  tests 
which  had  shut  out  from  the  University  much  of  the  best  life  of 
England.  The  influx  of  new  blood  into  the  University  system, 
due  to  this  great  change,  naturally  led  to  a  still  further  awakening 
to  the  educational  responsibilities  of  a  national  University,  and 
there  followed  within  a  few  years  efforts,  on  the  part  both  of 
Oxford  and  of  Cambridge,  to  raise  the  standard  of  education  in 
the  schools  of  the  country,  by  sending  out  accredited  examiners 
whose  duty  it  was  to  test  the  results  of  instruction  in  any  schools 
voluntarily  submitting  themselves  to  this  test.  This,  as  Mr. 
James  Stuart  has  said,  was  the  first  step  in  the  later  movement 
of  University  Extension.  For  the  first  time,  the  University  thus 
recognized  its  duty  towards  students  who,  technically,  were  not 
members  of  its  own  body,  and  postal  facilities  were  the  material 
agency  which  permitted  the  new  effort. 

In  1872,  the  University  of  Cambridge,  to  its  lasting  honor, 
took  a  still  further  step  along  the  road  of  educational  reform, 
when,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  James  Stuart,  it  offered  to  supply 
the  towns  of  England  with  capable  instructors  in  the  various 
departments  of  knowledge  under  the  supervision  and  with  the 
sanction  of  the  University  itself.  Just  as  postal  facilities  enabled 
the  University  to  introduce  local  examinations,  so  the  new  rail- 

5 


66       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

way  facilities  enabled  the  University  to  establish  local  lectures, 
and  thus  the  University  Extension  system,  as  we  now  know  it, 
was  begun.  It  began,  as  it  were,  by  accident.  Mr.  James  Stuart 
was  invited  to  deliver  some  courses  of  lectures  to  an  audience  of 
women  teachers  in  the  north  of  England.  In  his  private  capacity 
as  a  University  graduate,  he  accepted  the  invitation.  The  first 
lecture  was  a  success,  but  the  young  teacher  found  himself  so 
embarrassed  by  having  to  address  a  large  audience  consisting 
entirely  of  women,  that,  in  lieu  of  the  catechetical  instruction 
which  he  had  designed  as  a  supplement  to  the  lecture,  he  sug- 
gested to  the  students  that  they  should  write  him  exercises,  and 
send  these  essays  by  post  to  him  at  Cambridge.  Thus  was  in- 
vented that  important  element  in  the  University  Extension  sys- 
tem,— the  essay.  A  second  feature  in  this  method  of  instruction, 
the  syllabus,  was  imitated  by  Mr.  Stuart  from  the  methods  of  Pro- 
fessor Ferrier,  of  St.  Andrews.  The  popularity  of  Mr.  Stuart's 
first  lectures  induced  a  working-men's  co-operative  society  at 
Rochdale  to  ask  him  to  address  its  members.  He  chose  a  sci- 
entific subject.  At  the  end  of  his  first  lecture,  some  working- 
men  in  the  audience  asked  him  to  leave  the  diagrams,  with  which 
he  had  illustrated  his  discourse,  on  the  walls  of  the  lecture-room 
until  his  return  to  Rochdale,  in  order  that  they  might  explain 
their  meaning  to  a  number  of  fellow-artisans  who  had  not  been 
able  to  be  present  at  the  first  lecture  of  the  course.  He  acceded 
to  their  request,  and  offered  to  come  to  the  second  lecture  before 
the  appointed  time,  in  order  to  meet  for  purposes  of  informal 
discussion  those  who  wished  to  talk  over  the  substance  of  the 
first  discourse.  Thus  he  stumbled  upon  the  principle  of  "  the 
class"  which  has  ever  since  been  regarded  as  an  essential  element 
in  the  University  Extension  system.  The  development  of  Uni- 
versity Extension  was  thus  essentially  practical.  Each  feature  in 
the  system  was  suggested  by  practical  needs  and  tested  by  prac- 
tical experience.  A  little  later  the  University  of  Cambridge 
officially  recognized  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  colleagues; 
and,  after  a  period  of  protracted  effort,  during  which  Mr.  R.  G. 
Moulton  rendered  invaluable  service  to  the  new  movement,  the 
system  was  established  as  a  permanent  feature  in  English  educa- 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  67 

tion.  There  followed  in  London  a  successful  attempt  to  found 
a  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching  in  the  me- 
tropolis, and  this  association,  which  has  played  a  distinguished 
part  in  the  history  of  the  movement,  owed  much  to  the  zeal  of 
Mr.  Goschen,  now  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  and  to  the 
efforts  of  its  successive  secretaries,  Mr.  E.  T.  Cook,  Mr.  Myers, 
and  Dr.  R.  D.  Roberts,  the  latter  of  whom  has  devoted  many 
years  to  the  cause  of  University  Extension. 

In  1878,  the  University  of  Oxford  entered  the  field,  its  adhe- 
sion to  the  movement  being  largely  due  to  the  efforts  of  Professor 
T.  H.  Green  and  Professor  Jowett.  Not  much,  however,  was 
done  in  the  University  of  Oxford  until  1885,  when  its  work  was 
revived  through  the  instrumentality  of  Dr.  Percival  and  of  Mr. 
Arthur  Acland,  who  were  aided  by  the  posthumous  influence  of 
Mr.  Arnold  Toynbee,  himself  an  earnest  advocate  of  University 
Extension.  At  the  present  time  every  University  in  England  is 
engaged  in  the  work.  During  the  present  winter,  not  less  than 
sixty  thousand  different  persons  are  attending  the  lectures.  Of 
these  about  fifteen  thousand  are  writing  papers  for  the  lecturers, 
about  five  thousand  will  probably  enter  for  the  final  examinations 
held  at  the  conclusion  of  the  course,  and  about  three  thousand 
will  obtain  certificates.  Several  hundred  centres  of  University 
teaching  have  been  established  by  the  spontaneous  efforts  and  at 
the  expense  of  local  committees,  working  in  almost  every  district 
of  the  country,  and  comprising  almost  every  element  in  English 
life. 

The  official  recognition  of  this  movement  by  the  Universities 
is  of  fundamental  importance.  Their  cordial  acceptance  of  its 
principles  has  been  accompanied  by  an  increasing  devotion  to 
the  claims  of  the  highest  research.  The  same  activity  which 
shows  itself  in  one  direction  in  the  diffusion  of  learning,  shows 
itself  in  another  direction  in  the  accumulation  of  knowledge, 
both  are  phenomena  of  quickened  life,  both  testify  to  the  in- 
creasing activity  of  the  Universities  in  the  discharge  of  different 
but  equally  appropriate  duties. 

In  the  earlier  stages  of  the  work,  perhaps  one  of  the  greatest 
dangers  is  a  certain  jealousy  between  various  University  bodies, 


68       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

but  jealous  rivalry  is  soon  converted  into  generous  emulation  by 
intercourse  in  friendly  conference  and  by  the  recognition  of  the 
width  of  the  new  field  of  educational  effort  into  which  the  Uni- 
versities are  entering. 

Great,  however,  as  the  success  has  been  of  the  work  in  which 
we  are  interested,  it  is  still  in  the  stage  where  doctrinaire  criticism 
assails  it.  And  our  frankest  critics  press  three  questions  upon  us. 
Who  are  the  students,  they  ask,  for  whose  benefit  good  teaching 
is  provided  ?  Next,  granting  that  you  find  students,  is  it  after 
all  worth  while  taking  trouble  to  supply  them  with  higher  educa- 
tion ?  In  the  third  place,  assuming  that  it  is  worth  while,  are 
the  Universities  the  right  bodies  to  essay  the  supply  of  it  ? 

Each  of  these  questions  implies  more  than  appears  on  the  sur- 
face. Those  who  ask  the  first  question  often  mean  that  any  stu- 
dent who  is  sincerely  anxious  for  higher  education  can  get  it 
already ;  that  public  schools  and  colleges  exist  in  bountiful  pro- 
fusion ;  that  no  man  or  woman  need  perish  of  intellectual  starva- 
tion in  a  country  where  books  are  cheap,  newspapers  and  maga- 
zines widely  circulated,  public  libraries  efficient  and  plentiful ; 
that  you  can  pauperize  a  people  by  heedless  bounty  in  teaching 
as  easily  as  by  indiscriminate  distribution  of  alms ;  and  that  by 
making  educational  opportunities  of  too  easy  attainment,  you  may 
cut  the  nerve  of  energy  and  self-help  which  are  saving  graces  in 
the  affairs  of  mind  as  in  the  affairs  of  business. 

Those  again  who  ask  whether  it  is  worth  while  straining  every 
nerve  to  diffuse  higher  education  mean  by  their  question  to  sug- 
gest the  doubt  whether  the  nobler  kinds  of  culture  can  ever 
become  matters  of  common  currency ;  whether  there  is  not  one 
education,  as  the  Greeks  said  there  was  one  aphrodite  of  heaven 
and  another  of  the  market-place;  whether  the  problems  with 
which  higher  education  deals, — problems  of  history,  of  criticism, 
of  philosophy,  of  evidence, — can  profitably  be  discussed  by  those 
who  lack  preparative  training,  or  assimilated  by  minds  which  are 
biassed  by  ingrained  preconceptions;  whether  the  attempt  to 
popularize  culture  may  not  merely  multiply  prigs  or  spread  super- 
ficial accomplishments  as  a  veneer  over  once-healthy  ignorance, 
or  breed  discontent  with  hard  lots,  or  add  fuel  to  revolutionary 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  69 

indigestion ;  whether  it  is  prudent  to  vulgarize  the  vision  of  the 
higher  learning;  whether  by  increasing  book-learning  you  will 
destroy  the  originality  of  mother-wit  as  in  Britain  the  village 
school-masters  are  scolding  the  historic  dialects  out  of  the  remotest 
villages ;  and  whether  there  is  any  foundation  for  the  old  idea 
that  by  educating  one  generation  you  are  storing  up  accumu- 
lations of  refinement  which  will  be  transmitted,  as  a  sort  of  edu- 
cational capital,  for  the  outset  and  outfit  of  the  next. 

And  those  who  ask  whether,  if  it  be  granted  that  the  diffusion 
of  higher  teaching  is  desirable,  the  Universities  are  the  right 
bodies  to  undertake  such  diffusion,  mean  by  their  question  that  a 
University  exists  to  protect  and  to  increase  the  highest  learning, 
to  accumulate  rather  then  to  distribute,  to  investigate  rather  than 
to  popularize,  to  save  rather  than  to  spend,  to  specialize  rather 
than  to  edify ;  that  they  are  the  factories  of  learning  rather  than 
the  salesmen  of  it,  or,  if  salesmen  at  all,  dealing  only  in  a  whole- 
sale way  of  business  and  recognizing  as  their  customers  only  the 
advanced  students  or  teachers,  whose  function  in  turn  it  is  to 
pass  over  the  fruit  of  their  education  to  the  wider  circle  which 
lies  beyond  them.  The  University,  it  is  hinted,  exists  in  its  true 
capacity  for  research,  not  for  the  reproduction  of  knowledge  in 
attractive  forms ;  it  has  a  mission,  but  not  to  be  an  intellectual 
missionary.  If  you  associate  it  in  the  public  mind  with  the  idea 
of  popularization,  the  time  will  come  when  the  ignorant  crowd 
will  refuse  to  recognize  its  truer,  though  now  secret,  function  of 
knowledge-making,  and  when  the  professors,  wearied  out  of  the 
claims  of  perhaps  distant  popular  audiences,  will  begin  to  neglect 
their  more  essential  but  less  prominent  duty  of  patient  investi- 
gation, forsaking  the  nobler  but  more  private  task  of  research 
for  the  emptier  but  more  ingratiating  pursuit  of  public  exposi- 
tion. They  would  remind  us  of  Cardinal  Newman's  words,  that 
"to  discourse  and  to  teach  are  distinct  functions;  that  they  are 
distinct  gifts  and  not  commonly  found  united  in  one  person; 
that  he  who  spends  his  day  in  dispensing  his  existing  knowledge 
is  unlikely  to  have  either  leisure  or  energy  to  acquire  new.'*  In 
short,  that  the  proper  division  of  labor  assigns  one  function  to  the 
public  lecturer  and  to  the  University  another,  and  that  to  seek  to 


70       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

unite  those  separate  functions  in  one  man  or  staff  of  men  is  to 
retrogress  in  intellectual  economy.  Moreover,  that  a  University 
is  dedicated  to  a  liberal  education,  while  the  public  task  is  for 
useful  training,  and  that  therefore  for  the  University  to  seek  di- 
rectly to  save  the  public  is  to  sacrifice  for  immediate  and  more 
vulgar  results  what  is  priceless  in  distant  or  fruitful  consequences. 

These  are  the  arguments  which  it  is  for  us  to  meet.  They  can 
be  met,  and  met  triumphantly,  but  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  de- 
spise or  ignore  them,  to  pass  them  over  as  prejudices,  or  to  scorn 
them  as  selfishness. 

Happily,  however,  we  are  not  compelled  to  meet  a  priori  criti- 
cisms by  merely  a  priori  answers.  We  can  turn  to  facts,  and  the 
facts  are  on  our  side.  The  students  are  there  for  any  one  to  see 
and  question  them.  They  are  numerous,  grateful,  enthusiastic. 
But,  in  all  their  variety,  four  special  types  of  them  appeal  to  our 
sympathy  and  justify  our  work.  How  many  are  there  not  whom 
sudden  loss  or  harsh  turn  of  fortune  has  deprived  of  the  very 
privileges  which  we  have  enjoyed  ?  who,  on  the  very  threshold 
of  University  life,  have  been  called  back  by  claims  of  domestic 
duty  or  stopped  by  sudden  loss  of  means  ?  To  how  many  does 
not  the  very  word  "University"  recall  the  bitterest  act  of  renun- 
ciation, the  giving  up  of  the  most  cherished  hopes?  In  how 
many  lives  has  there  not  been  some  secret  unselfishness  which 
pushed  aside,  in  deference  to  duty,  the  bright  ambition  of  study, 
which  sacrificed — though  no  one  knew  the  bitter  cost — the  one 
chance  of  higher  learning?  Have  we  no  pity,  no  help  for  these? 
Must  the  gate  be  always  barred  against  them,  the  vision  of  knowl- 
edge be  to  them  never  more  than  a  distant  Pisgah  view  ?  Those 
in  whose  eyes  you  can  still  see  regret,  whose  faces  still  bear  the 
sign  of  "unhappy  far-off  things"  ? 

Then,  again,  there  are  the  vast  numbers  of  busy  people  who 
cherish  the  desire  of  combining  with  the  education  of  business 
the  education  of  books.  Those,  too,  welcome  the  stimulus  and 
encouragement  which  lectures  give,  and  need,  in  the  midst  of 
jostling  engagements  and  other  importunate  claims  of  daily  life, 
the  punctual  reminder  of  the  weekly  lecture-night.  *  *  Any  one, " 
said  the  venerable  master  of  Baliol,  "any  one  who  regularly 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  71 

devotes  half  an  hour  a  day  to  liberal  studies,  deserves  to  be  called 
a  student."  But  evert  so  small  a  fraction  of  the  solid  day  as  this, 
— great  as  are  the  accumulated  results  of  so  brief  a  daily  contri- 
bution, is  with  difficulty  set  aside  by  men  and  women  whose  lives 
have  been  for  years,  as  some  one  put  it  once,  "  like  an  interrupted 
sentence. ' '  Day  follows  day  without  bringing  the  quiet  breathing- 
spaces  which  we  need  to  collect  ourselves  for  study.  Business 
cares  leave  a  ground-swell  of  agitated  thought  behind  them,  and 
the  waters  of  life  never  seem  calm  enough  to  mirror  intellectual 
truth.  What  Sunday  is  to  the  religious  life,  the  lecture-night 
may  become  to  the  intellectual,  an  orderly,  appointed  breathing- 
space  set  aside  by  practice  for  the  duties  of  a  liberal  education. 

And  yet  once  more  how  eagerly  those  lectures  have  been 
attended  by  women  anxious  to  equip  themselves  either  for 
equal  converse  with  cultivated  people  or  for  the  better  discharge 
of  the  duties  involved  in  the  education  of  children.  The 
claim  of  women  for  higher  teaching  is  one  of  the  most  signifi- 
cant features  of  our  time.  That  claim  it  is  our  duty  to  satisfy, 
and  these  University  lectures  are  one  convenient  method  of 
meeting  it.  It  is  not  given  to  every  woman  to  go  to  college, 
and,  even  when  college  work  is  done,  education,  so  fair  from 
being  ended,  is  only  just  beginning.  In  a  progressive  age 
each  generation  is  almost  necessarily  separated  from  its  prede- 
cessors by  some  change  in  point  of  view.  Our  individual 
thoughts  are  all  colored  by  the  new  generalizations,  the  new  expe- 
rience common  to  our  contemporaries.  Malthus' s  father  thought 
with  Godwin  that  all  human  failings  were  due  to  defects  in  human 
institutions;  Malthus  himself,  growing  up  in  the  chill  of  the 
anti-revolutionary  reaction,  realized  that  much  of  human  wretch- 
edness was  due  to  defects  in  human  nature  itself;  men  of  our 
own  time  again  are  beginning  to  perceive  that  Malthus  too  much 
ignored  the  awakening  or  repressive  influences  of  an  eager  or 
stolid  environment.  Steadily  from  generation  to  generation  the 
normal  temperature  of  thought  rises  or  falls,  and  fathers  and  sons 
have  to  allow  for  one  another's  surroundings.  But  to  do  so  im- 
plies sympathy  enlightened  by  education,  and  involves  the  pos- 
session of  an  historic  sense  which  does  not  come  without  knowl- 


72       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

edge  of  history.  How  many  pitiful  estrangements,  how  many 
harsh  misunderstandings,  have  sprung  from  merely  ignorant  want 
of  imagination  ?  We  need  education,  as  well  as  filial  tenderness, 
to  bridge  over  the  gulf  which  sometimes  yawns  between  children 
and  their  fathers,  and  the  mother,  equipped  by  education,  may 
become  the  interpreter  of  the  son  to  his  father  and  of  the  father 
to  his  son. 

But  behind  all  these  lie  the  great  mass  of  the  people,  tired  by 
the  day's  work,  fagged  by  the  insistent  anxieties  of  bread-winning, 
and  yet  each  year  more  directly  charged  with  the  ultimate  set- 
tlement of  great  problems,  each  year  feeling  a  greater  need  for 
knowledge  and  for  the  judgment  which  comes  from  knowledge. 
Pericles,  speaking  of  the  Athenian  democracy,  said  that  they  re- 
garded "  the  want  of  the  knowledge  gained  by  discussion  prepara- 
tory to  taking  action  the  great  impediment  to  (wise  political)  con- 
duct." Just  as  Wesley  and  Whitefield  spread  the  knowledge  of 
religious  truth  among  the  miners  and  laborers  of  England,  and  so 
steadied  the  national  character  before  it  entered  the  exciting  period 
of  the  industrial  revolution,  so  we  need  others,  imitating  their 
devotion,  to  diffuse  civic  wisdom  among  the  wage-earners  and 
workmen  of  civilized  countries  as  a  preparation  for  the  anxious 
period  of  sound  adjustment,  of  the  coming  of  which  the  signs 
may  be  even  now  discerned.  "A  cultivated  intellect,  a  delicate 
taste,  a  candid,  equitable,  dispassionate  mind,  a  noble  and  lustrous 
bearing  in  the  conduct  of  life."  These  are  by  no  iron  law  of 
necessity  the  prerogative  of  any  one  section  of  the  community. 
The  riches  which  they  represent  may  be  diffused  in  generous 
measure  throughout  a  nation,  and,  as  Newman  said,  being  "the 
objects  of  a  University,"  they  are  therefore  the  probable  results 
of  a  full  extension  of  its  work.  True  as  it  is  that  profuse  and 
heedless  almsgiving  may  be  hurtful,  methods  of  wise  charity  need 
commending  by  the  very  persons  who  would  be  its  most  desirable 
recipients.  The  danger  of  pauperizing  people  does  not  justify  us 
in  keeping  our  pockets  always  buttoned  up.  And  no  offer  is  less 
likely  to  slacken  the  energies  of  a  people  than  the  provision  of 
noble  teaching,  for  it  is  of  the  essence  of  learning  that  it  cannot 
be  obtained  without  the  exertion,  toil,  and  attention  of  the 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  73 

student  co-operating  with  that  of  the  teachers.  You  cannot  stuff 
men  with  culture  as  they  stuff  Strasburg  geese. 

Similar  reflections  are  aroused  by  the  second  kind  of  criticism, 
namely,  the  question  whether,  even  if  the  students  attend  our 
lectures,  it  is  worth  while  seeking  to  furnish  them  with  higher 
education.  No  one  pretends  that  every  busy  man  or  woman  can 
become  a  mine  of  learning.  Cultivation  of  the  mind,  however, 
is  not  to  be  measured  by  mere  volume  of  attainment,  but  by  the 
mental  temper  and  attitude  of  the  student.  We  may  not  be  able 
to  make  our  students  experts  in  obscure  readings  of  the  classical 
texts  or  authorities  on  Greek  inscriptions ;  but  we  can  make  them 
appreciate  the  poetical  beauties  of  the  Athenian  drama  and  con- 
scious of  the  pregnant  significance  of  classical  history.  They 
may  not  care  for  the  niceties  of  criticism  or  for  the  disentangle- 
ment of  the  involved  sentences  of  Thucydides ;  but  they  can  be 
brought  to  share  in  the  scholar's  enthusiasm  for  ^schylus  and 
Sophocles,  to  treasure  the  memory  of  Pericles,  to  know  the  serene 
philosophy  of  Plato.  For  them,  too,  the  glories  of  the,  Renais- 
sance may  be  revealed.  The  eternal  antithesis  between  the  Puri- 
tan and  the  Greek  ideal  has  its  open  lessons  for  them  as  well  as 
for  us;  Homer,  Dante,  Shakespeare,  Goethe  need  not  be  the 
private  possessions  of  a  few,  but  may  become  the  intellectual  treas- 
uries of  the  people.  Pedantry  is  the  vice  of  an  exclusive  knowl- 
edge rather  than  of  broad  and  human  culture.  It  would  be  a 
false  antithesis  which  made  pedantry  and  superficiality  the  neces- 
sary alternatives.  We  do  not  propose  to  diffuse  either.  The 
vain  conceit  of  intricate  but  narrow  knowledge  is  as  far  removed 
as  the  impertinence  of  shallow  smattering  from  our  ideal  of  a 
liberal  education  which,  in  becoming  popular,  need  not  cease  to 
be  liberal.  The  actual  volume  of  a  man's  knowledge  matters 
little  as  compared  with  the  way  in  which  he  carries  it.  It  is  the 
quality  not  the  quantity  of  it  that  is  of  vital  concern.  The 
effect  on  his  judgment,  on  his  powers  of  observation  and  com- 
parison, is  what  we  have  chiefly  to  think  of  in  providing  higher 
education  for  the  people. 

Nor  will  such  education  blunt  originality.  As  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds told  the  students  of  the  Royal  Academy  a  hundred  winters 


74       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

ago,  "A  mind  enriched  by  an  assemblage  of  all  the  treasures 
of  ancient  and  modern  art  will  be  more  elevated  and  fruitful  in 
resources  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  ideas  which  it  has  care- 
fully collected  and  thoroughly  digested.  .  .  .  There  can  be  no 
doubt,"  he  adds,  "  but  that  he  who  has  ihe  most  materials  has  the 
greatest  means  of  invention.  .  .  .  The  addition  of  other  men's 
judgment  is  so  far  from  weakening  our  own  that  it  will  fashion 
and  consolidate  those  ideas  of  excellence  which  lay  in  embryo, 
feeble,  ill-shaped,  and  confused."  "The  mind  is  but  a  barren 
soil,"  again  to  quote  Sir  Joshua,  "  and  it  will  produce  no  crop,  or 
only  one,  unless  it  be  continually  fertilized  and  enriched  with 
foreign  matter." 

So  far,  indeed,  from  its  being  not  worth  while  for  us  to  diffuse 
the  higher  education,  it  is  our  duty  to  do  so  for  the  economic, 
the  solid,  and  the  religious  welfare  of  our  country.  Considering 
only  the  remotest  ends  of  material  welfare,  we  cannot  afford  to 
waste  genius,  or  even  talent.  We  need,  to  use  Professor  Hux- 
ley's phrase,  ' '  capacity  catchers. ' '  We  must  leave,  as  Mr.  Ruskin 
said,  no  Giotto  among  the  hill-shepherds.  Who  knows  what 
potter's  son  may  be  a  Wedgwood,  what  butcher's  son  a  Wolsey, 
what  barber's  lad  a  Richard  Arkwright,  what  engine-fireman  a 
Robert  Stephenson.  And  for  one  man  of  genius  who  forces  his 
way  to  eminence  and  public  service,  how  many  are  not  done  to 
death  in  the  struggle  for  recognition  and  for  training.  Chatter- 
ton  was  sent  home  from  school  as  a  fool  of  whom  nothing  could 
be  made ;  Clive  was  shipped  off  to  India  as  a  scapegrace ;  Sir 
Walter  Scott's  professor  dubbed  him.  dunce,  and  said  that  dunce 
he  would  remain.  Genius  is  democratic,  and  we  must  seek  to  find, 
to  guard,  to  help  it  in  both  high  and  lowly  places.  To  do  this 
we  need  many  agencies,  but  few  are  more  suited  to  our  hand  than 
University  Extension.  Its  teachers  will  penetrate  everywhere 
and  may  reach  everybody.  The  two  best  essays  which  reached 
me  in  a  recent  competition  came  from  a  duke's  family  and  a 
village  billiard-marker.  This  is  a  typical  result  which  follows 
from  greater  equalization  of  intellectual  opportunity. 

Nor  is  the  social  advantage  of  our  movement  less  than  its 
economic.  What  greater  bond  has  attached  to  one  another  the 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  75 

members  of  the  English-speaking  race  than  the  love  of  their 
common  Bible?  What  stronger  tie  is  there  between  strangers 
than  the  associations  of  our  native  region,  common  memories  of 
a  common  home  ?  In  the  same  way  we  may  promote  the  unity 
of  a  people  by  giving  it  a  common  background  of  great  thought, 
a  joint  and  conscious  inheritance  in  one  intellectual  birthright. 
St.  Simon  pointed  out  how  inventors  were  aided  by  a  class  of 
popularizers.  They  help  the  public  to  understand  and  appreciate 
inventions.  Far  more  might  a  staff  of  brilliant  lecturers  enable  a 
nation  to  enter  into  the  enjoyment  of  its  intellectual  heritage,  too 
often  ignored  or  forgotten.  In  an  age  when,  as  Emerson  said, 

"  Things  are  in  the  saddle 
And  ride  mankind," 

we  need  organized  protests  on  behalf  of  a  spiritual,  as  distinct 
from  a  material,  ideal  of  life.  Too  many  men  are  apt  to  say  of 
literature  and  history  what  Locke  said  of  Latin  verse-making, 
that  "it  is  very  seldom  seen  that  any  one  discovers  mines  of 
gold  or  silver  on  Parnassus.  'Tis  a  pleasant  air,  but  a  barren 
soil."  Locke  forgot  that  the  common  passion  for  these  bare 
mountains  and  native  air  have  often  fired  the  patriotism  of  heroic 
peoples,  but  the  Parnassus  of  culture  is  a  vineyard  on  a  fruitful 
hill.  And  the  effects  of  culture  may,  as  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds 
said  of  art,  "  extend  themselves  imperceptibly  into  public  benefits, 
and  be  one  of  the  means  of  bestowing  on  whole  nations  refine- 
ment of  taste ',  which,  if  it  does  not  lead  directly  to  purity  of 
manners,  obviates  at  least  their  greatest  depravation  by  disen- 
tangling the  mind  from  appetite  and  conducting  the  thoughts 
through  successive  stages  of  excellence,  to  be  that  contemplation 
of  universal  rectitude  and  harmony  which  begun  by  Task  may,  as 
it  is  exalted  or  refined,  conclude  in  Virtue." 

Nor,  even  if  the  education  of  one  generation  does  not  lead  to 
the  transmission  of  acquired  aptitude  to  its  successors,  does  it 
therefore  follow  that  we  are  not,  by  diffusing  education,  im- 
proving the  character  and  talents  of  our  descendants.  For  an 
educated  nation  permanently  improves  its  own  surroundings, 
and  the  pressure  and  stimulus  of  those  improved  surroundings 


76       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

may  educe  the  hidden  potentialities  of  men  and  women  yet 
unborn,  and  rouse  into  activity  secret  gifts  and  powers  which, 
in  a  less  favorable  environment,  would  have  perished  before  de- 
velopment. The  ideal  of  University  Extension  is  the  ideal  of 
Plato,  who  would  have  so  placed  the  citizens  of  his  ideal  com- 
monwealth that  their  "  young  men,  dwelling  as  it  were  in  a 
healthful  region,  might  drink  in  good  from  every  quarter  whence 
any  emanation  from  noble  works  might  strike  upon  their  eye  or 
ear  like  healthful  breezes  from  salubrious  lands,  and  win  them 
imperceptibly  from  their  earliest  childhood  into  love  of,  and  into 
harmony  with,  the  true  beauty  of  reason.'* 

And,  as  the  work  of  diffusing  higher  education  is  thus  of 
supreme  and  national  importance,  it  is  one  which  the  Universi- 
ties, if  they  have  the  means  at  their  disposal,  are  called  upon 
directly  or  indirectly,  singly  or  in  concert,  to  push  forward  and 
promote.  For  they  are  the  true  leaders  of  educational  progress. 
The  truest  culture  is  not  exclusive.  For  if  the  pleasures  and 
benefits  of  culture  are  such  that  their  diffusion  in  proper  measure 
is  impossible,  the  time  may  well  be  coming  of  which  it  was  fore- 
told that  "  the  prophet  shall  be  ashamed  of  every  one  of  his 
visions."  But  the  essence  of  true  culture  can  be  diffused  and  in 
due  season  will  be ;  just  as  the  Celtic  drama  was  once  the  means 
of  public  inspiration ;  just  as  was  the  great  picture  of  Cimabue 
which  the  Florentine  citizens  bore  from  the  painter's  house  to  the 
Church  of  St.  Maria  Novella  with  such  gladness  that  the  quarter 
of  the  city  through  which  they  passed  was  afterwards  called  the 
Joyful  Quarter ;  just  as  were  the  carvings  which  Giotto  set  round 
the  base  of  his  famous  tower,  and  just  as  were  the  masterpieces  of 
the  French  and  English  builders  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
centuries. 

But  to  diffuse  higher  education  you  need  something  more  than 
books ;  you  need  men  with  strong  personalities  to  expound  the 
books ;  you  need  not  only  a  library,  but  a  guide  to  the  library. 
Now,  what  bodies  can  command  more  readily  or  train  more  easily 
the  right  kind  of  guide  than  the  Universities  which  receive  and 
educate  the  young  men  and  young  women  of  the  country? 
Either  from  among  their  own  graduates,  or  by  the  exercise  of 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  77 

their  ready  access  to  men  of  ability  everywhere,  which  is  a  privi- 
lege of  their  position,  they  are  able  to  find  and  provide  the  very 
kind  of  teachers  which  the  public  need.  A  University  can  equip 
two  staffs  of  teachers ;  one  for  its  own  internal  duties  of  research 
or  specialized  instruction  ;  a  second  for  the  different  but  not  less 
honorable  service  of  diffusing  the  results  of  such  instruction  or 
research.  There  need  be  no  overwork,  no  unwise  confusion  of 
function.  It  is  rather  a  wise  division  of  labor  for  which  we  ask. 
And  just  as  private  munificence  or  public  aid  support  the  internal 
teachers  of  a  University,  so  will  individual  liberality  or  public 
contribution  maintain  those  who  are  engaged  in  its  extra-mural 
work. 

Anything  which  separates  the  Universities  from  the  public  is  to 
be  deplored.  But  happily  such  separation  is  becoming  every  day 
more  impossible.  The  University  Extension  lecturer  is  bringing 
into  relation  with  University  life  large  numbers  of  teachers,  of 
women  and  of  workingmen,  all  of  whom  long  for  the  stimulus 
of  higher  instruction,  but  have  hitherto  been  practically  outside 
the  pale  of  University  influence.  The  attendance  of  elementary 
teachers  at  the  University  Extension  lectures  in  England  is  the 
most  encouraging.  University  courses  are  being  made  a  part  of 
the  curriculum  of  several  Normal  Colleges.  The  Inspectors  of 
Schools  recommend  teachers  to  attend  University  Extension 
classes,  and,  at  our  Oxford  summer  meeting,  the  central  idea  of 
which  we  consciously  imitated  from  the  successful  Assembly  at 
Chautauqua,  a  considerable  number  of  elementary  teachers  enjoy 
a  brief  period  of  University  life  by  means  of  small  scholarships 
offered  by  friends  of  the  movement.  It  is,  however,  among 
workingmen  that  perhaps  the  most  striking  results  of  University 
Extension  have  been  seen.  For  four  years  at  Oldham  in  Lincoln, 
six  hundred  artisans  have  attended  the  lectures  on  historical  sub- 
jects delivered  by  Mr.  Hudson  Shaw.  The  zeal  shown  by  these 
workingmen  is  remarkable.  The  lecture  begins  at  seven  o'clock, 
is  followed  by  an  animated  class  and  brisk  discussion,  and  closes 
only  at  a  somewhat  late  hour.  For  three  years  artisans  from 
Manchester  have  come  to  reside  in  Oxford  during  August  for  a 
brief  period  of  study,  and  there  have  been  few  more  touching 


78       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

episodes  in  University  life  than  the  company  of  these'Manchester 
artisans  gathered  under  the  shadow  of  the  spire  of  John  Henry 
Newman's  church,  living  in  under-graduates  rooms,  studying  in 
the  University  buildings,  reading  in  the  University  libraries,  and 
meeting  morning  and  evening  in  the  College  chapel  as  members 
of  the  collegiate  community.  In  different  parts  of  the  country, 
farmers,  potters,  masons,  and  weavers  attend  these  lectures,  some 
of  them  walking  at  the  end  of  their  day's  work  as  many  as  five 
miles  to  attend  the  lecture.  Dr.  Roberts,  in  his  book  on  Uni- 
versity Extension,  has  told  some  pathetic  tales  of  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  Northumberland  miners ;  and  one  of  these  students  has 
written  to  Miss  Gardner,  of  the  American  Society,  a  remarkable 
tribute  to  the  moral  and  intellectual  influence  of  University  Ex- 
tension teaching  as  established  in  his  district  by  the  University 
of  Cambridge :  * 

" .  .  .  Do  you  ever  get  a  thoroughly  ignorant  man  interested 
in  University  Extension  ? 

"  In  reply  to  this  I  may  say  that  thorough  ignorance  is  rather  a 
misnomer  in  these  days  of  Board  schools  and  compulsory  edu- 
cation. Twenty  or  thirty  years  ago,  thoroughly  ignorant  men 
might  be  found  in  scores  among  the  miners,  but  in  this  genera- 
tion every  miner's  son  has  the  opportunity  of  getting  the  ele- 
ments of  education,  which  he  may  or  may  not  increase  as  he 
gets  older.  There  is  a  sense,  however,  in  which  your  question 
may  be  understood  as  applying  to  the  miners  of  to-day.  A 
number  of  boys,  after  they  leave  school,  and  commence  work  at 
the  mines,  easily  forget  nearly  all  they  have  learned,  and  only 
retain  sufficient  ability  to  write  their  name,  or  labor  through  the 
pages  of  a  book.  These,  I  think,  although  not  thoroughly,  may 
be  termed  ignorant  men.  I  will,  therefore,  understand  your 
question  as  applying  to  these.  When  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  at  Backworth,  I  mentioned  one  or  two  that  I  thought 
might  belong  to  that  category.  A  better  instance  has,  however, 
recently  come  under  my  notice.  We  are  at  present  having  a 
course  of  lectures  on  'The  Problems  of  Life  and  Health,' 

*  Cf.  University  Extension,  December,  1891,  p.  187. 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  79 

with  special  reference  to  sanitation.  The  subject  is  an  inter- 
esting one,  and  has  provoked  a  good  deal  of  discussion.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  lectures  two  of  the  miners,  at  the  mine  at 
which  I  work,  bought  two  tickets  for  the  course.  One  of  them 
I  knew  to  be  a  very  intelligent  man,  and  he  has  supplied  me  with 
some  interesting  facts  concerning  his  companion.  He  says  that 
when  he  first  knew  him  he  was  a  dissolute,  degraded  man,  caring 
for  nothing  but  drink,  gambling,  fighting,  and  every  other  thing 
that  belongs  to  an  evil  life.  They  lived  near  to  each  other,  and 
occasionally  had  some  conversation.  By  and  by  they  took  walks 
together,  and  questions  of  interest  were  discussed  in  a  simple  way. 
One  by  one  he  dropped  off  his  evil  habits  and  sought  the  society 
of  his  intelligent  friend.  He  abandoned  drink  and  devoted  his 
money  to  the  purchasing  of  books.  He  took  every  means  that 
was  likely  to  afford  him  information,  and  sought  knowledge 
wherever  it  was  to  be  fonnd.  And  now  he  is  a  student  at  the 
present  course  of  lectures,  and  has  already  earned  first-class 
marks  for  his  exercises.  This  I  think  is  a  typical  instance  of 
what  you  require,  and  when  I  tell  you  that  this  man  travels  a  dis- 
tance of  over  five  miles  every  Saturday  evening  in  order  to  attend 
the  lectures,  and  often  does  his  exercises  after  a  hard  day's  work 
at  the  mine,  you  will  readily  understand  how  keen  is  the  interest 
which  has  been  aroused.  ..." 

This  is  going  far  towards  the  reconciliation  of  culture  and 
labor.  It  is  significant  that  among  our  English  University  Ex- 
tension students  are  counted  a  princess  near  the  throne  and  an 
Oxford  chimney-sweep. 

Another  encouraging  feature  of  our  work  is  the  steady  rise  in 
the  quality  and  attainments  of  the  audiences.  Each  year  we 
notice  that  the  students  at  well-established  centres  attend  more 
regularly  at  the  lectures  and  classes,  write  better  essays,  and  reach 
a  higher  standard  in  the  final  examinations.  The  value  of  the  cer- 
tificates awarded  in  these  examinations  is  also  becoming  more 
generally  recognized.  At  Oxford  the  standard  required  for  a 
"pass"  certificate  is  that  which  has  to  be  reached  by  an  under- 
graduate in  answering  the  questions  set  in  an  examination  for  a 
"  pass"  degree ;  in  order  to  obtain  a  "  certificate  of  distinction," 


8o       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

the  student  must  write  a  paper  of  such  a  quality  as  would  entitle 
that  paper  to  be  accepted  in  one  of -the  final  examinations  for 
Honors  in  the  University.  It  should  be  pointed  out,  however, 
that,  whereas  the  candidate  for  Honors  in  the  University  has  to 
write  ten  or  twelve  papers,  the  University  student  generally  does 
only  one.  But  the  standard  required  in  the  two  examinations 
is  pro  tanto  the  same.  It  is  natural,  therefore,  that  employers 
should  be  increasingly  willing  to  regard  the  possession  of  a  Uni- 
versity Extension  certificate  as  a  recommendation  when  presented 
by  an  applicant  for  some  appointment ;  that  teachers  should  seek 
to  obtain  these  certificates  in  order  to  improve  their  qualification ; 
and  that  some  of  the  best  schools  in  the  country  should  include 
University  Extension  courses  in  their  curriculum.  Mr.  Hudson 
Shaw,  for  example,  has  lectured  this  autumn  at  Rugby  School  on 
one  day,  and  on  another  to  the  workingmen  of  Oldham ;  and 
Mr.  Mackinder,  who  with  Mr.  Shaw  has  done  so  much  to  ad- 
vance the  University  Extension  movement,  has  visited  during  the 
same  term  one  of  the  greatest  schools  in  the  country  and  other 
centres  where  his  audiences  consisted  largely  of  elementary 
teachers  and  artisans. 

It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  in  the  early  years  of  the 
history  of  each  centre,  much  remains  to  be  desired  in  point  of 
sequence  of  studies.  History  is  apt  to  follow  literature,  and 
science  history  without  much  regard  for  strict  connection  of  sub- 
ject-matter. But  we  must  remember  that  there  are  two  kinds  of 
sequence — sequence  of  good  teachers  and  sequence  of  the  sub- 
jects taught.  When  a  centre  is  new  and  weak,  the  first  kind  of 
sequence  is  often  of  more  practical  importance  than  the  second, 
and  if  any  one  of  us  looks  back  on  the  landmarks  of  his  own 
intellectual  life,  shall  we  not  find  that  the  influences  which  in 
turn  have  affected  us  have  often  been  wanting  in  any  formal 
sequence  of  educational  development.  We  are  now,  however, 
succeeding  in  gradually  remedying  this  want  of  sequence  in  Uni- 
versity Extension  work,  and  much  has  been  done  by  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  courses  of  study  at  our  summer  meeting  in  cycles 
extending  over  four  years. 

I  desire  to  say  a  few  words  as  to  the  formal  relation  between 


The  Development  of  University  Extension.  81 

the  Universities  and  the  University  Extension  movement.  It  is  of 
essential  importance  to  the  success  of  our  work  that  the  Universi- 
ties should  either  directly  or  indirectly  take  a  formal  part  in  it. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  work  especially,  the  aid  of  the  college 
professors  is  extremely  valuable ;  but  many  of  these  professors 
are  overworked  men,  who  cannot  permanently  undertake  a  large 
increase  in  their  educational  duties.  Where  this  is  the  case,  no 
one  can  rightly  expect  that  they  will  be  able  permanently  to  take 
a  large  share  of  the  work.  Under  their  guidance,  however,  a 
special  staff  of  teachers  may  soon  rise,  as  has  already  been  the 
case  in  England,  for  the  discharge  of  this  important  duty  of  Uni- 
versity Extension  teaching.  But  it  is  important  that  these 
teachers  should  be  in  official  and  accredited  connection  with  the 
Universities  and  the  faculties  of  higher  teachers,  for,  as  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds  has  said,  "Every  seminary  of  learning  is  surrounded 
with  an  atmosphere  of  knowledge  where  every  mind  may  imbibe 
something  congenial  to  its  own  original  conceptions.  Knowledge 
thus  obtained  has  always  something  more  useful  than  that  which 
is  forced  on  the  mind  by  solitary  meditation."  In  other  words, 
we  desire,  through  the  University  Extension  movement,  to  ex- 
tend the  spirit  of  each  University  taking  part  in  the  work. 

And  the  discharge  of  its  duties  towards  University  Extension 
reacts  favorably  on  the  University  itself.  It  makes  the  academic 
mind  recognize  more  clearly  than  before  the  intellectual  impor- 
tance of  business  ability.  It  provides  for  the  academic  economist 
easy  access  to  those  scenes  of  industrial  activity  which  are  the 
laboratories  of  economic  study;  and  it  encourages  and  helps 
those  who  desire  to  see  in  University  life  a  combination  of  plain 
living  and  high  thinking. 

Our  aim,  however,  in  University  Extension  is  not  intellectual 
communism,  but  the  greater  equalization  of  intellectual  oppor- 
tunity. And  our  experience  in  England  leads  us  to  appreciate 
the  importance  and  the  value  of  such  an  association  as  the  Ameri- 
can Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  teaching.  Such  a 
society  is  able  to  provide  a  bureau  of  information  on  University 
Extension  matters.  It  can  secure  lecturers  and  retain  the  services 
of  promising  graduates.  It  can  also  gradually  accumulate  an 

6 


82       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

endowment  which  will  be  required  for  the  higher  development  of 
University  Extension  teaching,  as  well  as  for  that  of  other  kinds 
of  higher  education.  We  need  in  University  Extension  a  mill- 
ionaire, and  the  chance  is  now  offered  to  a  man  of  wealth  to  asso- 
ciate his  name  forever  with  the  history  of  one  of  the  most  striking 
educational  movements  of  our  century. 

A  difficulty  which  is  pressing  upon  us  in  England  is  the  best 
means  of  recognizing  the  attainments  of  the  most  advanced  Uni- 
versity Extension  students.  To  most  of  us,  it  appears  in  the 
highest  degree  undesirable  to  offer  the  same  grade  or  degree  to  a 
student  who  has  resided  in  a  college  as  to  one  who  has  only  at- 
tended University  Extension  courses.  But  it  is  clear  that  the  latter 
will,  before  long,  emulate  the  former  both  in  the  extent  of  his 
studies  and  in  the  standard  of  his  intellectual  attainment.  What, 
then,  should  be  the  recognition  given  to  such  a  student  by  the 
University  ?  In  my  own  judgment,  it  will  be  possible  for  a  group 
of  Universities  to  go  further  in  recognizing  the  merits  of  the  best 
University  Extension  students  than  would  be  possible  for  any 
single  University  acting  on  its  own  account.  Is  it,  therefore,  out 
of  the  question  that  a  number  of  Universities  might  unite  to 
offer,  under  strict  provisions  and  on  specified  and  arduous  condi- 
tions, a  special  diploma  to  such  University  Extension  students  as 
might,  after  attending  a  long  series  of  graded  courses,  pass  a 
searching  examination  with  credit  ?  If  such  a  group  of  Univer- 
sities were  formed  and  were  found  to  comprise  the  leading  insti- 
tutions of  higher  learning  in  America,  in  England,  and  in  Aus- 
tralia, such  a  diploma,  as  that  at  which  I  hint,  might  become  the 
symbol  of  the  intellectual  federation  of  the  English-speaking 
world. 


REMARKS. 


IN  reply  to  the  questions  addressed  to  him  by  members  of  the 
Conference,  Mr.  Sadler  explained  that  in  the  Oxford  branch  of 
the  Extension  system  no  student  was  allowed  to  enter  for  the 


Remarks.  83 

final  examination  on  any  course  unless  he  had  qualified  himself 
by  attending  not  less  than  two-thirds  of  the  lectures  and  classes 
of  the  course,  and  by  writing,  to  the  lecturer's  satisfaction,  not 
less  than  two-thirds  of  the  weekly  essays.  The  final  examination 
paper  was  set  by  a  member  of  the  University  appointed  by  the 
delegates,  but,  in  accordance  with  English  methods,  the  lecturer 
never  conducted  the  final  examination  on  his  own  course.  The 
examiners  were  instructed  by  the  delegates  to  require,  from  all 
candidates  receiving  a  Pass  certificate,  the  quality  of  work 
which  would  be  required  from  a  candidate  in  any  one  of  the 
final  Pass  examinations  for  the  degree  of  B.  A.  in  the  Univer- 
sity. For  the  higher  certificates  of  distinction,  the  Examiners 
were  instructed  to  require  work  which,  if  done  in  one  of  the 
final  University  Honor  examinations,  would  pro  tanto  entitle  the 
writer  to  Honors.  But  Mr.  Sadler  pointed  out  that,  whereas  a 
candidate  in  the  final  Honor  Schools  of  the  University  was  re- 
quired to  reach  this  Honor  standard  in  at  least  eight  papers  out 
of  twelve  or  fourteen,  the  University  Extension  student  had 
only  to  do  one  paper  on  each  course.  The  time  allowed  for  the 
final  examination  on  each  course  was  three  hours.  Certificates 
were  permitted  by  the  University  only  after  courses  of  twelve 
lectures  and  classes.  Examinations  were  allowed  on  courses  of 
not  less  than  six  lectures  and  classes,  but,  in  lieu  of  certificates, 
successful  candidates  received  printed  statements  of  the  Exam- 
iners' award.  In  answer  to  other  questions,  Mr.  Sadler  explained 
that  about  two-thirds  of  those  attending  the  lectures  in  the  cen- 
tres were  women.  There  was  a  slightly  larger  proportion  of 
women  among  the  students  attending  the  summer  meeting  held 
in  Oxford  in  August.  He  desired  to  take  this  opportunity  of 
cordially  acknowledging  their  obligations,  in  the  arrangement  of 
summer  meetings,  to  various  American  summer  schools,  and 
especially  to  the  Assembly  at  Chautauqua.  The  University  Ex- 
tension authorities  in  England  warmly  supported  the  work  of 
Chautauqua  and  of  the  National  Home-Reading  Union,  regarding 
it  as  preparative  to  University  Extension  teaching.  With  regard 
to  the  attendance  of  working-men,  Mr.  Sadler  said  that  artisans 
came  in  large  numbers  to  courses  of  lectures  arranged  for  and  paid 


84       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

for  by  themselves.  But  the  cost  of  the  lectures  made  it  difficult 
for  working-men  in  England  to  establish  courses  except  through 
the  agency  of  their  own  organizations.  The  working-men's  Co- 
operative Societies,  wealthy  and  useful  associations,  had  done 
much  for  many  years  to  further  the  cause  of  University  Extension, 
and  in  several  centres  in  the  crowded  districts  of  the  North 
there  had  been  large  audiences  of  hundreds  of  working-men 
attending  University  Extension  lectures  with  profit  and  sustained 
enthusiasm.  Answering  further  questions,  Mr.  Sadler  stated 
that  the  University  of  Oxford  contributed  ^550  a  year  (two 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars)  to  the  University 
Extension  department,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  furnished  many 
facilities  in  respect  of  printing  and  the  provision  of  rooms  for 
the  summer  meeting,  etc. 

President  Fell,  of  St.  John's  College,  Annapolis,  Maryland, 
said  : 

Having  personally  participated  in  the  earlier  stages  of  the 
movement  in  England  several  years  ago,  and  having  witnessed 
the  mode  of  its  development  in  this  country,  I  was  for  a  long 
time  very  doubtful  of  its  ultimate  success  in  America.  Great 
contrasts  are  presented  to  view  to  one  who  is  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  movement  in  each  country.  The  rapidity 
with  which  it  has  spread  in  America  is  in  striking  contrast  with 
the  slowness  of  its  progress  in  England.  Again,  the  conditions 
of  the  public  whom  it  is  intended  to  benefit  are  distinctly  differ- 
ent. In  England  a  University  education  is  for  the  most  part 
possible  only  to  the  wealthy;  consequently,  outside  of  this  class, 
there  existed  a  large  body  of  men  and  women  who  craved  for 
the  blessings  of  higher  education.  The  democracy  cried  for 
culture.  Here  in  America  we  have  already  a  cultured  democracy, 
and  higher  education  is  offered  to  all,  is  easy  of  access,  and  can 
be  obtained  for  a  slight  cost.  In  England,  the  Universities  of 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  are  in  locations  not  easily  accessible  to 
the  masses,  so  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  University  to  go  to 
them  in  order  to  convey  instruction ;  whereas  in  America  we  have 
in  nearly  every  town  or  city,  possessing  twenty  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, a  college  or  university  offering  higher  education.  We  find, 


Remarks.  85 

therefore,  for  the  most  part,  as  yet,  that  the  Extension  lectures 
have  been  attended  by  the  cultured  of  both  sexes,  and  not  by 
the  mass  of  artisans,  trades-people,  inferior  school-teachers,  and 
others,  who  petitioned  so  eagerly  in  England  for  higher  educa- 
tion. And  as  a  result  of  this  a  disposition  is  manifested  on  the 
part  of  those  who  attended  such  lectures  in  many  centres  to 
relax  interest  in  a  movement,  which  was  merely  responded  to  by 
them  because  it  appeared  an  agreeable  and  novel  mode  of  filling 
up  time.  It  became  a  fashionable  "fad."  In  order,  therefore, 
to  make  a  success  of  the  movement,  we  must  not  be  discouraged 
if  the  fervor  aroused  by  a  novelty  appears  to  be  on  the  wane,  but 
a  strong  and  united  effort  should  be  made  by  all  institutions  in- 
terested in  the  movement  to  adapt  and  present  their  methods  of 
instruction  to  those  who  have  not  already  enjoyed  the  benefits  of 
higher  education.  Such  an  effort  would  then  secure  the  success 
of  the  movement,  the  regular  and  continuous  attendance  of  a 
class  of  students,  and  direct  advantage  for  the  institutions  them- 
selves. 

Rev.  Dr.  William  Wilberforce  Newton,  of  Pittsfield,  Mass., 
gave  a  short  account  of  a  small  attempt  made  on  the  part  of 
some  of  the  churches  among  the  Berkshire  Hills,  to  reach  the 
working-men  in  the  mill-towns  in  that  region  by  ten-cent  read- 
ings on  Saturday  afternoons  on  various  subjects  in  English  liter- 
ature. He  showed  great  interest  in  the  movement  of  University 
Extension,  and  expressed  the  conviction  that  it  is  opening  a  new 
field  of  activity  for  the  energies  of  the  Christian  Church. 

Mr.  H.  H.  Hay,  of  the  Girard  College,  thought  that  the  col- 
leges ought  to  lead  the  movement  of  University  Extension,  and 
inferred  from  the  presence  at  the  Conference  of  so  many  college 
presidents,  that  they  were  prepared  to  do  so.  He  referred  to 
the  interest  attaching  to  this  system  of  teaching  in  its  influence 
on  working-men,  and  by  a  question  gained  from  Mr.  Sadler 
the  information  that  a  large  number  of  the  working-classes  are 
following  Extension  courses  in  England,  and  that,  out  of  sixteen 
hundred  who  presented  themselves  for  examination,  a  fair  per- 
centage was  of  the  working-people.  In  this  connection  Mr. 
Sadler  quoted  a  special  and  crowning  incident  of  a  working- 


86       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

man,  whose  essay  on  Milton,  by  the  beauty  of  its  diction,  called 
forth  special  praise  of  the  examiners  of  the  University.  In  re- 
sponse to  a  further  question  from  a  delegate  as  to  how  continuity 
in  Extension  work  can  be  secured,  Mr.  Sadler  answered  that  this 
is  largely  possible  through  an  active  Students'  Association.  The 
members  of  the  Students'  Club  form  the  really  permanent 
nucleus  of  an  Extension  centre,  and  are  largely  influential  in  the 
determination  as  to  the  choice  of  courses.  Their  interest  is 
almost  invariably  in  favor  of  well-ordered  sequence  in  study, 
and  through  their  efforts  much  has  already  been  accomplished  in 
this  direction.  There  is,  however,  an  abiding  danger  from  those 
who,  following  Extension  courses  only  as  a  means  of  amusement, 
desire  a  variety  of  subjects  rather  than  a  helpful  following  out  of 
special  lines  of  study. 

Professor  Edward  H.  Magill,  of  Swarthmore  College,  said : 
MR.  CHAIRMAN, — When  the  faculties  of  our  colleges  are  criti- 
cised for  not  entering  at  once,  and  heartily,  into  the  University 
Extension  work,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  reason  may 
not  be  any  lack  of  sympathy  wkh  the  movement,  but  because 
they  are,  in  so  many  cases,  already  worked  to  the  full  extent  of 
their  ability.  This  difficulty  was  seriously  considered  at  the 
recent  meeting  of  the  College  Association,  at  Cornell  University, 
where  many  of  the  leading  colleges  of  "  The  Middle  States  and 
Maryland' '  were  represented.  We  felt  the  great  desirability  of  our 
doing  our  part  in  this  work,  and  various  means  were  suggested 
by  which  it  might  be  rendered  practicable.  This,  I  am  sure,  will 
be  found  to  be  the  general  sentiment  of  the  colleges,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  that  by  some  rearrangement  of  their  work,  and  a  re- 
adjustment of  it  secured  by  the  appointment  of  some  additional 
professors,  or  by  training  the  young  graduates  or  fellows  to  enter 
upon  it,  both  universities  and  colleges  will,  in  a  few  years,  adapt 
themselves  to  the  situation,  and  be  taking  that  leading  place  in 
University  Extension  work  throughout  the  world  which  should 
naturally  fall  to  them.  You  may  depend  upon  it  that  it  is 
through  no  narrow  principle  of  exclusiveness,  and  no  unwilling- 
ness to  assume  all  added  burdens,  that  the  public  good  may  re- 
quire, but  simply  that  there  is  a  limit  to  all  human  effort,  that 


Remarks.  87 

has  kept,  thus  far,  many  college  men  aloof  from  University 
Extension  work.  We  all  well  understand  that  such  work,  when 
it  can  possibly  be  undertaken,  reacts  for  good  upon  the  professor 
himself,  and  really  makes  him  more  valuable  in  his  own  college 
for  the  specific  work  in  which  he  is  there  engaged.  To  this 
rule  there  will  be  found  to  be  few  exceptions,  and  they  will  grow 
fewer  every  year  as  the  work  advances. 

Superintendent  Charles  D.  Raine,  of  Mount  Holly,  N.  J., 
said: 

MR.  CHAIRMAN, — Much  has  been  said  by  persons  connected 
with  colleges  and  universities,  but  from  the  public-school  teacher, 
the  educator  nearest  to  the  so-called  masses,  nothing  has  been 
heard.  University  Extension  is  no  doubt  a  good  thing,  contain- 
ing possibilities  for  beneficial  results.  But,  thus  far,  the  effort  to 
reach  that  great  portion  of  the  people  whose  opportunities  for 
education  and  mental  culture  have  been  limited,  has  failed. 
And  there  are  reasons  for  this.  The  average  American  citizen, 
especially  the  working-man,  is  intensely  practical  in  his  views  and 
wishes.  To  engage  in  a  project,  he  must  be  convinced  that  it 
will  yield  positive  profit  and  benefit.  Those  sent  out  to  organize 
centres  often  fail  to  show  him  the  utility  of  the  movement. 
Associating  with  persons  of  a  considerable  degree  of  education 
and  cultivation  of  mind,  and  accustomed  to  instructing  such, 
the  lecturers  naturally  present  the  matter  in  a  form  appreciated 
only  by  persons  of  that  class  of  society.  It  will  not  do  to  go 
before  the  people  with  heavy  Johnsonese  utterances,  and  a  cold, 
formal,  perfunctory  manner,  crushing  and  freezing  them ;  nor 
will  it  do  to  send  them  a  callow  student, — a  penny  hand-glass 
dimly  reflecting  the  thoughts,  researches,  and  expressions  of  a 
superior.  To  make  this  movement  a  success,  the  lecturers  must 
be  teachers,  true  teachers,  fully  realizing  that  those  they  hope  to 
benefit  most  have  not  learned  to  give  voluntary  attention  to 
study  and  to  literary  subjects,  as  have  students  in  a  college  or  a 
university.  The  teaching  should  be  interesting  and  instructive, 
imparted  by  earnest,  enthusiastic  teachers,  in  pungent,  Saxon- 
worded  speech,  that  will  not  only  catch  the  attention  involun- 
tarily, but  hold  it,  and  inspire  the  listener  to  seek  more  light 


88       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

upon  the  subject.  It  has  been  said  here  that  in  a  building  used 
for  University  Extension  purposes,  the  lecture-room  should  be  on 
the  ground-floor,  and  the  library  in  the  topmost  story.  I  would 
not  have  it  so.  The  library  should  be  in  the  next  room,  side  by 
side  with  the  lecture-room,  and  the  teaching  should  so  sharpen 
perception,  invite  comparison,  and  develop  thought,  that,  at  the 
close,  the  library  would  at  once  be  in  demand  to  satisfy  the 
hunger  and  thirst  for  more  knowledge.  Being  made  attractive, 
interesting,  and  instructive,  the  work,  begun  as  a  pleasure,  will 
be  pursued  as  a  duty  and  esteemed  a  privilege.  Then,  and  not 
till  then,  University  Extension  will  benefit  the  people,  improve 
our  citizenship,  and  accomplish  its  aim. 


THE  UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION   LECTURER. 

BY    EDMUND   J.   JAMES,   PH.D., 
President  of  The  American  Society. 

IT  is,  of  course,  an  idle  matter  to  spend  time  trying  to  decide 
which,  of  a  number  of  elements  in  a  given  combination,  is  the 
more  necessary  when  all  of  them  are  really  essential.  It  is  like 
trying  to  decide  which  is  the  more  important  part  of  a  pair  of 
shears.  In  this  University  Extension  work,  there  are  several 
elements,  each  of  which,  however  insignificant  it  may  appear,  is 
at  bottom  really  essential  to  produce  the  desired  result.  But, 
certainly,  among  them  all,  no  one  is  of  more  fundamental  impor- 
tance than  the  University  Extension  lecturer  himself,  the  man 
who  actually  does  the  work  for  which  all  the  rest  of  the  machinery 
exists,  the  man  upon  whom  the  successful  working  of  the  ma- 
chinery depends  to  a  larger  extent,  perhaps,  than  upon  any  other 
individual  in  the  whole  system,  the  man  without  whose  contin- 
uous and  devoted  attention  University  Extension  will  accomplish 
but  a  very  small  portion  of  the  sum  total  of  the  good  which  lies 
within  its  possibilities.  So,  while  we  cannot  say  that  it  is  of 
more  importance  than  any  other  element,  yet  it  is  certainly  essen- 
tial to  the  system.  It  naturally  acquires  a  certain  prominence  in 
our  consideration  by  the  very  numerous  points  of  contact  between 
it  and  all  the  rest  of  the  work  of  the  system.  So,  on  this  occasion, 
I  feel  that  we  can  certainly  well  devote  a  very  considerable  por- 
tion of  our  time  to  a  study  of  what  the  University  Extension 
lecturer  should  be  and  what  he  should  do. 

We  rely,  in  the  first  place,  of  course,  upon  the  lecturer  to 
prepare  the  course  of  lectures,  to  prepare  the  syllabus  used  in 
connection  with  it,  to  deliver  the  lectures,  to  prepare  the  ques- 
tions for  paper  work,  to  set  the  lines  along  which  the  paper  work 
must  be  done,  to  criticise  the  papers  and,  finally,  to  conduct  for 
his  part  an  examination  of  his  own  work.  Let  us  then  look  first 

89 


go       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

at  the  lecture  itself.  What  should  the  University  Extension  lec- 
ture be?  An  analysis  of  the  circumstances  under  which  it  is 
given,  of  the  audience  to  which  it  is  given,  and  of  the  results 
which  may  be  fairly  expected  from  it  under  favorable  conditions, 
will  give  us  at  least  some  of  the  more  important  points  to  be 
considered  in  connection  with  it. 

I  think  we  may  say,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  University  Ex- 
tension lecture  cannot  be  the  sort  of  lecture  which  is  given  to 
college  students.  We  may  lay  it  down,  I  think,  as  a  fundamental 
principle  that  the  educational  problem  involved  in  University 
Extension  is,  at  bottom,  a  very  different  one,  after  all,  from  that 
involved  in  university  instruction  itself;  or,  at  least,  that  so 
many  of  the  incidentals  connected  with  it  are  so  different  from 
those  connected  with  university  instruction  as  to  make  it  essen- 
tially a  different  thing.  So  fully  has  this  been  recognized  by  the 
more  thoughtful  men  who  have  taken  part  in  the  University  Ex- 
tension movement  -and  who  have  given  thought  to  its  possibilities 
and  its  circumstances  that  many  of  them  have  maintained  that 
the  expression  University  Extension,  itself,  is  an  entirely  mis- 
leading one,  and  ought  to  be  discarded  for  a  more  appropriate 
term.  I  shall  not  go  so  far  as  this,  for  I  think  the  question  of 
nomenclature,  while  having  a  certain  importance,  is  not  by  any 
means  fundamental.  I  think,  moreover,  that  the  term  Univer- 
sity Extension  has  acquired  a  certain  right  to  be  applied  to  this 
particular  sort  of  education.  And  yet  it  may  well  be  worth  our 
while  to  call  our  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  problem  after  all  is 
different  from  that  involved  in  university  instruction  from  several 
different  aspects. 

In  the  first  place,  the  university  lecturer  who  comes  before  an 
audience  of  university  students  knows  what  to  presuppose  in  the 
way  of  previous  training.  He  knows,  pretty  exactly,  if  he  is  a 
thoughtful  and  observant  man,  the  general  grade  of  maturity 
which  has  been  reached  by  his  audience.  He  knows  what  they 
have  studied  and  how  thoroughly,  on  the  whole,  they  have  pur- 
sued their  studies,  so  that  he  is  able  to  take  up  their  education, 
so  to  speak,  very  directly  and  immediately  where  he  finds  it  and 
to  continue  it  in  connection  with  the  subject  which  he  has  in 


University  ^Extension  Lecturer.         •          91 


hand.  The  University  Extension  lecturer,  on  the  other  hand,  has 
a  very  different  'condition  of  things  to  meet,  in  this  respect.  His 
audience,  while  made  up,  as  a  rule,  of  people  who  are  interested 
in  the  work  and  are  interested  in  improving  themselves  intellec- 
tually and  aesthetically,  is  yet  a  mixed  audience.  It  consists  of 
people  of  various  ages,  of  old  and  young,  of  people  of  different 
sexes,  and,  often,  of  different  nationalities,  and,  what  is  more  im- 
portant than  all,  of  people  of  very  different  degrees  of  education 
and  training.  The  University  Extension  lecturer,  therefore,  can 
suppose,  one  might  almost  say,  next  to  nothing  in  regard  to 
the  knowledge  and  training  of  his  audience.  He  is  in  very  much 
the  same  position  as  the  clergyman  who  comes  before  audiences 
made  up  on  very  much  the  same  lines  as  those  of  the  University 
Extension  lecturer  ;  and  certainly  no  one  who  has  studied  the 
problem  would  doubt,  for  a  moment,  that  the  clergyman's  prob- 
lem, so  far  as  it  is  educational,  is  fundamentally  a  different  one 
from  that  of  the  university  professor.  Those  of  you  who  have 
busied  yourselves  especially  with  the  pedagogics  of  college  and 
university  courses,  are  fully  aware  how  carefully  and  closely,  as  a 
result  of  centuries  of  development,  our  educational  system  has 
been  knitted  together.  You  will  very  often  hear  a  professor,  for 
example,  say  it  is  impossible  to  teach  Greek  to  a  boy  who  has  not 
studied  Latin.  You  will  hear  a  professor  of  Assyriology  say  it  is 
impossible  to  teach  Assyrian  to  a  boy  who  has  not  studied 
Hebrew.  What  he  means,  of  course,  at  bottom,  is  not  that  it  is 
actually  impossible  to  do  so,  but  that  he,  by  his  whole  training 
and  by  his  whole  previous  education  as  a  pupil  and  a  student  and 
a  teacher,  has  got  thoroughly  into  the  habit,  in  his  presentation 
of  Greek  and  Assyrian,  of  presupposing  a  knowledge  of  Latin  and 
of  Hebrew.  So,  it  has  not  been  so  very  long  since  men  main- 
tained that,  in  order  to  teach  English  literature,  a  knowledge  of 
Latin  and  Greek,  on  the  part  of  the  people,  was  essential  ;  and, 
of  course,  to  a  certain  method  of  teaching,  that  is  undoubtedly 
necessary  and,  perhaps,  to  accomplish  certain  specific  results  in 
the  widest  and  broadest  sense  it  may  always  be  necessary  ;  but 
no  one  would  claim  that  English  literature,  to-day,  cannot  be 
taught  and  well  taught  to  people  who  have  little  or  no  knowledge 


92       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

of  the  classical  languages.  Now,  if  university  and  college  men 
find  it  so  difficult  to  adapt  one  or  another  element  of  the  tradi- 
tional curriculum  to  some  other  condition  than  traditional  con- 
ditions, how  much  more  difficult  the  problem,  and  how  different, 
in  some  respects,  must  the  problem  be,  when  he  is  thrown  en- 
tirely out  of  these  ruts  and  placed  face  to  face  with  the  pressing 
problem  as  to  what  he  can  do,  from  an  educational  point  of  view, 
with  an  audience  in  regard  to  whose  training  and  scholarship  he 
can  make  none  of  these  presuppositions,  to  which  he  has  always 
been  used  in  the  case  of  college  students. 

There  is  another  condition  to  my  mind  almost  as  important 
as  that  which  I  have  just  described,  and  which  serves  to  distin- 
guish very  particularly  the  possibilities  of  the  work  in  University 
Extension  from  those  in  college  and  university  work  itself,  and 
that  is  the  length  of  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  university  lec- 
turer and  the  University  Extension  lecturer  respectively  to  pro- 
duce their  various  impressions.  Real  education  is  a  result  of 
time  as  well  as  of  effort.  The  time  element  in  education  is 
almost  as  important,  if  not  quite  as  important,  as  in  economics  ; 
where  it  forms  the  fundamental  element  in  the  conception  of 
capital.  You  cannot  secure  culture  and  training,  you  cannot 
secure  those  specific  things  which  we  connect  with  the  idea  of  a 
liberal  education  within  a  brief  period,  no  matter  how  great  the 
effort  the  individual  may  put  forth.  It  takes  time,  in  other 
words,  to  educate  the  human  being.  It  takes  time  to  educate 
and  discipline  along  intellectual  and  aesthetic  as  well  as  along 
moral  lines.  Not  even  the  warmest  believer  and  adherent  of 
the  momentary  and  sudden  revolution  in  character  which  may 
come  from  religious  conversion  has  ever  maintained  that  any- 
thing more  can  be  accomplished  than  a  mere  facing  about  of  the 
individual,  a  turning  of  the  mind  and  thought  and  action  from 
one  direction  to  another.  Moral  culture  can  only  come  as  the 
result  of  time,  of  long-continued  as  well  as  of  vigorous  effort. 
So  the  university  man  has,  under  ordinary  conditions,  certainly 
in  our  modern  institutions  of  learning,  whatever  may  be  true  of 
their  English  counterparts,  a  certain  length  of  time,  a  certain 
period,  during  which  he  has  his  audience  directly  and  imme- 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  93 

diately  under  his  control.  If  he  does  not  succeed  in  making  an 
impression  the  first  hour,  he  can  take  the  second  hour  to  present 
the  same  thought  in  a  different  way.  He  may  take  a  third 
hour,  if  necessary.  If  he  does  not  succeed  in  doing  in  it  one 
week,  he  can  take  a  second  week  or  a  third  week.  If  he  does 
not  accomplish  it  in  one  month,  he  can  take  a  second  month  or 
a  third,  or  even  a  fourth  or  fifth.  He  can  make  a  study,  to  a 
certain  extent,  of  the  individual  students  he  has  before  him  and 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  and  adapt  his  work,  to  a  certain 
extent,  to  the  wants  of  individual  members  of  his  class.  The 
University  Extension  lecturer  has  not  the  same  advantage.  He 
can  meet  his  audience  for  a  dozen  times,  or,  as  experience 
shows,  perhaps  twice  that  often,  in  a  given  subject  within  a 
given  year;  but  experience,  both  in  England  and  in  this 
country,  shows  that  we  cannot  hope  to  get  hold  of  the  same 
audience  on  the  average  for  more  than  a  dozen  times  for  the 
presentation  of  a  certain  subject ;  or,  under  very  favorable  con- 
ditions, for  more  than  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  times.  The 
cases  in  which  more  than  this  can  be  accomplished,  at  least  at 
present,  are  rare,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think,  from  my  observa- 
tion of  the  circumstances,  are  likely  to  continue  to  be  rare  for 
some  time  to  come.  The  Extension  lecturer  must,  therefore, 
face  the  problem  of  getting  a  certain  number  of  points  before 
an  audience,  which  he  meets,  say,  once  a  week  for  a  period  of 
twelve  or  eighteen  weeks.  The  mere  statement  of  the  case 
shows  how  different  the  problem  involved  in  the  University 
Extension  lecturer's  work  and  in  that  of  the  university  lecturer. 
There  is  another  side  in  which  the  work  of  the  two  men  is 
very  different.  The  university  lecturer  has  before  him,  pre- 
sumably, a  set  of  men  or  boys  who  are  giving  their  entire  time 
and  attention  to  the  work  laid  out  and  required  by  the  college 
or  university.  They  are  supposed  to  be  giving  themselves  up 
completely  to  this  educational  process  which  is  involved  in  the 
curriculum  of  the  institution  of  learning  which  they  are  attend- 
ing; and,  if  the  claims  of  society  and  of  athletics  or  of  indo- 
lence are  sometimes  too  great  to  allow  the  actual  realization  of 
this  pre-supposition,  yet,  on  the  whole,  the  university  lecturer 


94       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

may  fairly  count  on  the  bulk  of  the  time  of  his  students  being 
devoted,  if  not  to  his  work,  at  least  to  the  general  university 
work  of  which  his  branch  forms  a  part.  The  University  Exten- 
sion lecturer,  on  the  contrary,  has  before  him  a  class  of  people 
in  whose  lives  his  work  forms — even  if  it  become  what  we  hope 
to  make  it — a  permanent  feature,  yet,  after  all,  only  one  element 
and,  perhaps,  as  far  as  time  and  attention  are  concerned,  by  far 
the  smallest  of  several  elements  which  enter  into  combination 
to  make  up  the  life  of  the  individuals  composing  his  audience. 
He  finds  there  the  busy  man  who  gives  the  bulk  of  his  time  and 
attention  during  the  day  to  the  speculations  on  the  street  or  the 
working  of  his  factory  or  the  manipulations  of  politics.  He 
finds  the  woman  whose  chief  attention  is  absorbed  by  her  house- 
hold duties,  by  her  charitable  works,  by  her  religious  offices* 
He  finds  the  young  man  or  woman,  or  the  boy  or  girl  whose 
day  is  spent  in  the  shop  or  counting-house  or  the  factory,  and 
who,  therefore,  under  the  most  favorable  conditions  with  the 
greatest  desire  in  the  world  to  accomplish  something  valuable 
and  definite,  can  only  give  a  modicum  of  his  time  to  this  par- 
ticular work,  and,  even  if  we  succeed  in  making  by  our  Univer- 
sity Extension  movement  in  alliance  with  all  the  other  educa- 
tional movements  of  the  time,  education  a  serious  business  of 
life,  comparable  in  the  time  and  attention  which  it  takes  to  that 
which  is  given  to  amusement,  to  the  church,  to  politics ;  yet, 
after  all,  it  cannot  even  become  more  than  one  of  these  elements, 
and  with  this  fact  the  University  Extension  lecturer  must  reckon. 
I  have  not  stated  these  differences  in  their  conditions  and 
methods  of  work  for  the  purpose  of  discouraging,  in  any  sense, 
those  who  believe  thoroughly  in  the  valuable  educational  aspects 
of  University  Extension  work.  I  belong  to  this  class  myself, 
and  I  should  certainly  not  desire  to  discourage  myself  and  those 
who  are  working  with  me  in  this  very  important  field.  But  I 
have  said  these  things  so  as  to  secure  a  clearer  jdea  of  the 
conditions  under  which  the  University  Extension  lecturer  must 
work,  as  compared  with  those  under  which  the  university 
lecturer  is  privileged  to  work.  Now,  I  think  it  follows,  without 
stopping  to  draw  the  conclusion,  for  any  one  who  has  followed 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  95 

me  in  this  statement  of  the  case  that  the  University  Extension 
lecture  must  be  a  very  different  sort  of  lecture  in  order  to  accom- 
plish the  highest  educational  result  under  the  circumstances  from 
the  kind  of  lecture  which  would  do  the  same  thing  in  the  uni- 
versity work  itself.  In  the  first  place,  details  must  be  left  very 
largely  out  of  sight,  except  so  far  as  detail  is  necessary  in  order 
to  emphasize  and  throw  into  strong  and  clear  relief  the  general 
features  of  the  subject.  I  say,  except  so  far  as  detail  is  neces- 
sary. One  of  the  greatest  dangers  to  which  the  University  Ex- 
tension lecturer  is  liable  is  that  of  dealing  simply  in  formal 
statements,  in  fundamental  propositions,  in  glittering  general- 
ities. Any  teacher  knows  that  such  a  method  of  presenting  the 
main  features  of  a  subject  is  foredoomed  to  failure,  for  the  bald 
statement  of  general  principles  is  something  which  conveys  but 
very  little  idea  to  the  untrained  mind.  The  general  feature  or 
general  principle  which  the  lecturer  is  trying  to  emphasize  must 
depend  far  more  on  the  skilful  way  in  which  it  results  as  the 
crowning  conclusion  of  a  given  presentation,  far  more  upon  its 
being  put  in  such  a  form  that  the  student  himself,  out  of  the 
details  which  have  been  given,  shall  be  in  a  position  to  formu- 
late the  general  principles  himself  than  upon  any  formal  state- 
ment, no  matter  how  skilfully  and  accurately  it  may  be  made. 
It  would  take  a  very  skilful  man,  indeed,  to  give  one  lecture 
upon  the  history  of  the  world,  which  should  contain  any  valua- 
ble matter  for  the  average  college  student  or  average  man  or 
woman.  It  takes  almost  as  much  skill  to  treat  the  whole  field  of 
Greek  or  Roman,  or  French,  or  German,  or  English,  or  Ameri- 
can history  in  a  course  of  six  lectures,  so  as  to  produce  any 
abiding  result.  But  it  is  feasible  for  the  man  properly  prepared, 
in  a  period  of  six  or  in  a  course  of  twelve  lectures,  to  present 
one  century  or  one-half  century  or  one  special  period  of  English 
or  French  or  German  history  in  such  a  way  that  it  shall  leave  a 
permanent  and  indelible  impression  on  the  minds  of  some  of  his 
hearers.  It  is  plain,  moreover,  that  the  University  Extension 
lecture  must,  after  all,  rely  for  its  permanent  success  upon  its 
ability  to  interest  the  audience  in  the  subject  in  such  a  way  as 
to  lead  them  to  read  about  it  immediately,  thoroughly,  per- 


96       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

sistently;  in  other  words,  that  the  object  of  each  individual 
lecture,  as  well  as  of  the  course,  should  be  very  largely  to  stim- 
ulate an  interest  in  the  subject  as  distinct  from  imparting  knowl- 
edge on  the  subject,  which  latter  may  very  properly  be  a  leading 
characteristic  of  the  university  lecture. 

And  so  I  might  go  on  to  set  forth  the  peculiar  conditions  and 
to  analyze  the  peculiar  problem  which  confronts  the  University 
Extension  lecturer  and  to  discuss  the  methods  by  which  he  may 
accomplish  his  ends.  But  I  have  said  enough  to  emphasize  the 
point  which  I  wish  to  urge  upon  you  especially  on  this  occasion, 
that  the  University  Extension  lecturer  must  not  suppose  that  the 
simple  lecture  which  he  gives  to  his  college  and  university  stu- 
dents is  the  proper  one  to  give  to  his  University  Extension  audi- 
ence, and  to  pronounce  the  opinion  that  if  the  lecture  is  successful 
in  the  highest  sense  before  the  University  Extension  audience, 
it  will  not  be  the  one  which,  in  the  highest  sense,  will  be  suc- 
cessful before  the  university  students,  and  vice  versa.  We  have 
found  from  our  experience  in  the  short  time  we  have  been  at 
work,  that  our  college  and  university  men  are  very  prone  to  fall 
into  this  error,  and  the  result  is  very  noticeable  in  cases  where 
they  have  done  so,  in  what  may  be  called  comparatively  ineffi- 
cient work,  judged  by  the  reasonable  standard  which  we  may  set 
up  on  University  Extension  subjects. 

But  there  is  another  error  into  which  the  university  professor 
is  very  liable  to  fall,  and  that  is  the  error  of  giving  simply  what 
he  calls  a  popular  lecture.  Nearly  all  our  college  and  university 
men  in  this  country  do  more  or  less  popular  lecturing  on  their 
subjects  and  allied  branches,  before  literary  societies,  teachers' 
institutes,  and  similar  organizations,  so  that  nearly  every  college 
professor  has  what  he  calls  a  popular  lecture.  It  is  oftentimes 
very,  very  far  from  being  so,  but  it  is  at  least  an  attempt  in  that 
direction.  When  these  lectures  are  really  popular,  under  ordi- 
nary conditions  they  are  very  likely  to  be  simply  specimens  of  the 
class  known  as  lyceum  bureau  lectures.  This  is  a  very  valuable 
class  in  its  way,  and  one  upon  which  I  should  be  the  last  in  the 
world  to  wish  to  throw,  any  shir  or  odium ;  but  it  is  a  class  which 
will  not  serve  the  purpose  of  Universal  Extension  at  all,  and 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  97 

which,  if  introduced  into  this  field,  will  rapidly  give  us,  in  Uni- 
versity Extension,  poor  lyceum  bureau  lectures  by  college  pro- 
fessors instead  of  good  ones  by  the  present  lyceum  lecturers.  The 
ordinary  popular  lecture  of  the  college  or  university  professor  will 
not  serve  the  purposes  of  University  Extension  any  better  than 
the  ordinary  lecture  by  the  same  party  to  university  students. 

Enough  has  been  said,  I  think,  upon  this  point,  to  bring  clearly 
before  you  the  proposition  stated  above,  and  which  I  wish  to 
reiterate  here,  that  the  kind  of  lecture  which  will  accomplish  the 
highest  results  in  University  Extension  work  is  a  very  different 
sort  of  lecture  from  that  which  will  accomplish  the  highest  results, 
on  the  one  hand,  in  the  university,  and  on  the  other,  in  the 
lyceum  bureau.  I  would  urge,  therefore,  upon  the  college  or 
university  man,  who  thinks  of  taking  up  University  Extension 
work,  that  he,  in  doing  so,  has  a  new  educational  problem  before 
him,  a  problem  which  will  not  be  thoroughly  well  solved  without 
the  most  careful  and  continued  attention  upon  his  part.  The 
fact  that  university  men  have  not  kept  this  circumstance  in  mind 
will  account,  to  a  very  large  extent,  to  my  mind,  for  those  numer- 
ous failures,  in  one  form  or  another,  of  the  University  Extension 
work  which  the  history  of  this  movement,  in  England  and  in  this 
country,  has  to  chronicle,  and  to  the  large  percentage  of  attempts, 
which,  while  we  cannot  perhaps  denominate  them  as  absolute 
failures,  are  certainly  not  calculated  to  encourage  us  to  put  forth 
long-continued  and  renewed  efforts  along  these  lines.  So  much 
for  the  University  Extension  lecture.  The  University  Extension 
lecturer  is  in  so  far  the  man  who  can  give  us  a  lecture  which  is 
suited  to  the  conditions  we  have  sketched  above. 

There  are,  however,  other  elements  than  the  mere  lecture  in 
the  scheme  of  University  Extension  instruction.  In  immediate 
connection  with  this  lecture  is  the  syllabus  or  outline  of  lectures, 
and  in  the  construction  of  that  syllabus  the  University  Extension 
lecturer  has  an  opportunity  to  show  all  the  qualities,  except  the 
mere  one  of  pleasant  and  effective  address,  which  he  needs  to 
employ  in  the  preparation  and  delivery  of  the  lectures  themselves. 

No  one  can  help  being  struck,  who  has  taken  the  pains  to  read 
over  the  syllabi  published  in  England  by  the  various  men  who 

7 


98       The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

have  lectured  in  this  field  and  the  same  efforts  made  on  this 
side  of  the  water ;  I  say  no  one  can  help  being  struck  by  the  fact 
that  the  average  syllabus  is  a  poor  affair ;  that  it  contains  but 
little  help  to  clear  consecutive  thought,  and  that  it  contains  but 
little  help  towards  following  up  the  lecture  and  the  lecture  course 
in  a  systematic  way ;  that  it  has  but  little  to  do  in  inspiring  the 
student  with  the  interest  in  the  study  which  is  fundamental  to  any 
great  success  along  these  lines.  A  mere  summary  of  headings 
which  the  lecturer  proposes  to  discuss  has,  of  course,  its  value.  A 
mere  series  of  statements  of  principles,  which  the  lecturer  pro- 
poses to  develop  and  illustrate,  has,  of  course,  its  value,  but  if 
that  is  all  which  the  syllabus  contains,  it  falls  very  far  below  the 
level  of  efficiency  which  is  easily  within  the  reach  of  the  skillful 
and  successful  lecturer.  The  syllabus  should  be  a  sort  of  guide  to 
the  study  of  the  subject  which  the  lecturer  proposes  to  present, 
a  sort  of  cord  which  shall  lead  the  student  through  the  labyrin- 
thine windings  of  the  mass  of  literature  which  exists  on  all  these 
subjects,  and  lead  him  carefully  and  steadily  and  constantly  to 
the  wide  outlooks,  to  the  important  views,  to  the  soul-stirring 
altitudes  which  should  make  up  and  mark  his  intellectual  and 
sesthetic  progress,  so  far  as  it  is  aided  and  directed  by  this  par- 
ticular course  of  study.  It  should  give  to  the  person  who  has  it 
some  definite  knowledge  as  to  what  books  on  the  subject  and 
what  portions  of  what  books  are  best  worth  his  reading,  if  he 
wishes  to  view  this  field  as  the  lecturer  views  it,  if  he  wishes  to 
get  the  same  outlooks,  if  he  wishes  to  pass  through,  to  a  certain 
extent,  the  same  experience.  It  goes  without  saying  that  it  should 
be  systematic,  as  far  as  possible  suggestive  and  interesting  and 
inspiring ;  and,  in  short,  should  be  a  sort  of  guide  to  the  study 
of  the  particular  subject  which  the  lecturer  is  treating.  That 
means,  of  course,  very  much  more  careful  and  thorough  work  on 
the  syllabus  than  most  University  Extension  lecturers,  either  in 
England  or  in  this  country,  have  thus  far  been  willing  to  give  it. 
It  means,  alas !  more  ability  to  pick  out  the  salient  things  and 
put  them  in  an  impressive  and  salient  form  than  the  average  lec- 
turer in  this  field  possesses ;  but  we  can,  at  least,  all  of  us  within 
the  range  of  our  ability,  as  far  as  possible,  approximate  towards 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  99 

the  best  and  most  successful  thing  in  this  field  which  can  be 
given. 

In  close  connection  with" the  syllabus  should  be  mentioned  the 
paper  work  of  students,  the  questions  which  are  presented  to  them 
to  stimulate  and  stir  their  interest  and  inspire  them  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  work,  and  not  to  be  content  with  the  mere  passive 
role  of  listener.  The  preparation  of  these  questions  calls  for  care 
and  attention,  if  they  are  to  be  successful ;  it  calls  for  skill  and  abil- 
ity and  a  close  adaptation  and  study  of  the  conditions  under  wfcich 
these  University  Extension  lectures  must  be  given.  Just  in  pro- 
portion as  the  lecturer  is  able  to  get  the  members  of  his  University 
Extension  audience  to  take  an  active  and  interested  part  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  subject,  in  that  proportion  will  he  be  able  to  produce 
permanent  and  valuable  results.  I  do  not  mean  to  say,  of  course, 
that  the  lectures  would  be  valueless,  even  if  the  people  should 
not  write  the  papers,  but  simply  that  the  whole  work  will  be  of 
an  enormously  greater  value,  to  all  those  who  do  actually  take  part 
in  it,  than  it  would  be  without  it.  Now,  I  am  sorry  to  say  that, 
if  any  of  you  will  take  the  syllabi  which  have  been  prepared, 
either  in  this  country  or  abroad,  and  go  through  them  carefully, 
you  will  be  rather  struck  by  the  careless  way  in  which  this  work, 
on  the  whole,  has  been  developed.  I  need  not  stop  on  this  point 
longer,  except  to  venture  the  general  remark  that,  if  the  largest 
and  best  results  are  to  be  got  from  this  paper  work,  the  questions 
must  be  carefully  thought  out  and  must  be  carefully  graded,  so 
that  every  person  who  attends  the  course  of  lectures  and  pays 
close  attention  will  feel  that  there  is  some  question  or  questions 
in  the  list,  on  which  he  may  present  an  acceptable  paper,  if  he 
will  only  put  forth  the  effort.  There  should  be  other  questions 
which  will  call  for  the  largest  and  fullest  exercise  of  the  ability 
to  study  and  to  present  which  the  lecturer  is  likely  to  find  in  his 
audience. 

Finally,  the  class  work  is  the  other  element  in  the  distinctively 
technical  or  educational  work  of  the  University  Extension  lect- 
urer, which  calls  for  special  mention.  To  conduct  a  good  class, 
even  in  college  and  the  university,  where  you  have  your  picked 
men,  your  men  of  a  homogeneous  training,  your  men  of  thorough 


IOO     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

training,  your  men  who  devote  all  their  time  to  the  work ;  I  say, 
to  conduct  a  good  class,  even  under  such  favorable  conditions, 
calls  for  the  exercise  of  one  of  the  highest  forms  of  ability  which 
the  teacher  possesses.  You  all  know  how  unutterably  "  tedious  and 
tasteless  the  hours"  that  you  have  spent  in  many  a  college  profes- 
sor's rooms,  in  the  so-called  recitations,  where  there  seemed  to 
be,  as  you  look  back  upon  it  now,  no  plan  or  method  of  work,  no 
stimulus  and  little  or  no  searching  out  of  the  hidden  things  in 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  students,  no  inspiration  or  stirring 
up  to  higher  levels,  to  higher  thoughts,  and  to  more  vigorous  ac- 
tion. The  conditions  of  successful  class  work  in  the  University 
Extension  audience  are,  many  of  them,  more  unfavorable  than 
those  in  the  college  and  university.  In  the  first  place,  you  have 
an  audience  which  is  very  likely,  indeed,  to  possess  some  rather 
obstreperous  individuals,  who  are  inclined  to  take  all  the  time 
of  the  class,  and  whom  you  cannot  dispose  of  so  summarily  as  you 
can  of  a  college  student  of  the  same  kind.  You  are  apt  to  have 
very  many,  a  much  larger  number,  of  a  retiring  disposition,  who 
are  too  timid  to  say  anything,  who  are  frightened  if  you  call 
upon  them  to  express  their  opinion,  or,  if  you  try  to  draw  them 
out  by  questioning.  This  class  includes  oftentimes  the  most 
valuable  element  in  your  audience,  and,  if  you  persist  in  drawing 
them  out  by  questions  and  showing  up  their  ignorance,  the  result 
is  very  much  more  likely  that  they  will  leave  your  work  and  give 
up  the  whole  class  than  that  they  should  be  brought  to  take  the 
same  view  of  the  subject  that  you  do. 

In  the  second  place,  in  an  audience  of  this  class,  you  are  even 
more  likely  to  have  your  time  frittered  away  by  an  infinite  num- 
ber of  questions,  some  of  which  have  a  possible  relation  to  the 
subject  in  hand,  but  most  of  which  have  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
You  are  all  well  aware,  of  course,  how  completely  a  class  of  col- 
lege boys  can  waste  the  time  of  the  class  and  the  teacher  by  ask- 
ing idle  and  profitless  questions,  either  on  purpose  or  from  igno- 
rance. You  can  imagine  how  much  more  completely  a  popular 
audience,  such  as  the  University  Extension  lecturer  obtains,  may 
do  the  same  thing,  and  how  easy  it  is  for  a  question  to  shunt  the 
whole  consideration  away  from  the  point  that  the  lecturer  is  try- 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  101 

ing  to  make  and  into  a  wilderness  of  idle  and  profitless  debate. 
If  the  lecturer  were  to  undertake  to  answer  all  the  questions  which 
his  class  might  ask,  he  would  simply  use  up  an  hour  and  produce 
almost  no  beneficial  result  whatever.  Consequently,  there  is  no 
greater  opportunity  of  showing  his  skill  open  to  the  Extension 
lecturer  than  is  open  to  him  in  the  conducting  of  a  classs,  to  draw 
out  the  diffident,  to  squelch  the  boisterous,  to  get  such  questions 
as  will  enable  him  to  be  helpful  and  to  direct  the  course  of  the 
discussion  so  as  to  emphasize  and  throw  into  still  stronger  relief, 
bring  out  more  thoroughly,  to  impress  more  fully  upon  their 
minds  the  fundamental  points  of  its  presentation.  To  do  thor- 
oughly efficient  work  in  the  class,  calls  for  careful  and  long-con- 
tinued attention  on  the  part  of  the  instructor,  and  nothing  will  be 
more  helpful  to  him  along  this  line  than  the  papers  which  he  will 
succeed  in  obtaining  from  the  individuals  who  make  up  his  class. 
If  he  can  get  a  large  number  of  them,  it  will  enable  him  to  size 
up  his  class,  so  to  speak,  to  find  out  the  lines  along  which  they 
are  working  or  reading,  to  find  out  how  far  he  is  carrying  them 
with  him,  how  far  he  is  inspiring  them  with  an  interest  in  the 
subject,  as  a  class,  as  this  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  tests  of  the 
lecturer's  ability,  so  it  is  the  occasion  in  which  most  of  our  aver- 
age university  and  college  men  fail  to  come  up  to  the  standard. 
And  I  may  say,  in  a  general  way,  that  in  our  short  experience 
here  in  the  work  that  is  carried  on  immediately  under  the  auspi- 
ces of  the  American  Society  we  have  had  more  complaints  about 
the  inefficient  class  work  of  our  lecturers  than  upon  any  other 
point.  Our  communities  feel,  in  an  instinctive  way,  and  I  think 
the  feeling  is  the  correct  one,  that  the  class,  if  properly  conducted, 
is  the  one  element  which  will  bring  more  thoroughly  educational 
work  into  this  movement  than  even  the  lecture  itself. 

I  think,  perhaps,  enough  has  been  said  to  emphasize  what  I  may 
call  the  educational  aspect  and  educational  function  of  the  Uni- 
versity Extension  lecturer.  The  University  Extension  lecturer 
should  be  the  man  who  can  give  us  the  kind  of  lecture  which  we 
have  described  in  a  general  way,  who  can  give  us  the  kind  of  syl- 
labus, who  can  give  us  the  kind  of  class  work,  who  can  set  the 
kind  of  questions,  and  who,  at  the  end  of  his  work,  will  leave 


IO2     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

his  audience  and  his  class  and  his  community  in  a  blaze  of  en- 
thusiasm for  the  subject  which  he  has  been  presenting,  and  for 
the  great  field  of  human  science  of  which  it  forms  a  part. 

This,  however,  is  not  by  any  means  the  sole  function  of  the 
University  Extension  lecturer.  As  I  said  above,  the  success  of 
this  work  depends  upon  the  University  Extension  lecturer  at  more 
points  than  one.  The  large  success  of  the  work  is  going  to  de- 
pend, not  merely  upon  the  success  of  any  one  subject ;  not  merely 
upon  the  interest  excited  for  any  one  period  of  English  literature 
for  example,  nor  upon  the  interest  excited  upon  English  litera- 
ture as  a  whole,  but  upon  the  interest  which  is  excited  in  human 
science  as  a  whole  and  in  its  relations  to  all  the  other  sides  of  hu- 
man life.  Now,  it  seems  to  me  that,  having  regard  to  the  con- 
ditions of  our  American  life,  and  having  regard  to  the  nature  of 
this  movement,  the  University  Extension  lecturer  should  do  two 
things  in  addition  to  the  particular  work  which  we  have  already 
outlined.  He  should  be  an  apostle  and  an  evangelist  for  the 
University  Extension  movement  as  a  whole,  and  above  all,  for  the 
cause  of  education  in  general.  He  should  not  feel  that,  after 
giving  his  course  of  lectures,  even  if  he  be  thoroughly  successful 
in  it,  that  he  has  done  all  that  may  fairly  enough  be  required 
of  him.  This  movement  cannot  be  made  general,  it  cannot  be 
made  permanent,  unless  the  men  who  are  doing  the  actual  work 
of  lecturing  will  take  it  up  in  their  hands  and  bear  it  steadily  and 
persistently  to  the  front,  in  connection  with  all  of  their  Uni- 
versity Extension  work.  This,  we  all  agree,  is  one  of  the  great 
educational  movements  of  the  age.  We  shall  derive  great  help 
from  it  from  every  point  of  view,  if  this  fact  be  kept  persistently 
before  our  notice ;  if  every  occasion  be  taken  by  the  university 
lecturer  to  excite  interest  in  the  general  cause  of  University  Ex- 
tension ;  if  he  consider  that  he  never  goes  out  of  his  way  when  he 
can  score  a  good  point  for  the  general  movement  itself;  that,  on 
the  contrary,  it  is  a  part,  a  fundamental  part,  of  his  duties  to 
keep  the  cause  in  mind,  and,  wherever  he  sees  an  opportunity  to 
advance  it,  to  do  so.  In  other  words,  the  Extension  lecturer 
should  look  upon  himself  as  a  man,  one  of  whose  special  duties 
it  is  to  enlighten  the  audience  that  meets  him  night  after  night, 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  103 

to  enlighten  the  community  from  which  his  audience  is  drawn, 
as  to  the  scope  and  functions,  aim  and  methods  of  the  Univer- 
sity Extension  work  as  a  whole.  In  a  word,  he  ought  to  leave 
his  Extension  audience,  he  ought  to  leave  the  community  in 
which  his  course  has  been  given,  perfectly  ablaze  with  enthu- 
siasm, not  merely  for  Shakespeare,  if  that  be  the  part;  nor  for 
English  literature,  if  that  be  the  whole  of  his  subject ;  but  for 
University  Extension  itself,  which  is  carrying  out  not  merely 
Shakespeare,  and  not  merely  English  literature,  but  art  and 
science  and  mathematics, — education,  training,  culture, — into 
the  life  of  the  nation. 

Now,  the  ways  in  which  this  can  be  done  are  numerous.  In 
the  first  place,  of  course,  there  is  the  local  committee,  the  ele- 
ment in  whose  hands  is  the  management  of  the  local  centre,  the 
people  under  whose  auspices,  looking  at  it  from  one  point  of 
view,  the  man  is  giving  his  lecture.  If  we  are  to  succeed  in 
carrying  through  and  emphasizing  the  educational  as  well  as  the 
popular  sides  of  this  work,  we  can  accomplish  it  only  with  the 
sympathy  and  hearty  co-operation  and  support  of  these  local 
committees.  We  shall  get  that  for  the  higher  and  better  sides  of 
the  work  only  if  we  continually  and  persistently  urge  the  higher 
and  better  sides  of  the  work  upon  their  attention,  only  if  we  en- 
list their  interests  in  the  higher  and  better  aspects  of  the  move- 
ment. Nobody  can  do  this  so  persistently,  nobody  can  do  it  so 
directly  as  the  University  Extension  lecturer.  He  is  sure  to 
meet  one  or  another  member  of  the  committee  upon  every  occa- 
sion he  goes  to  lecture.  There  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  his 
getting  the  committee  together  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  a 
special  talk  on  how  this  movement  is  progressing,  and  how  it  is 
being  taken  up  in  different  localities,  and  how  the  most  success- 
ful centres  conduct  their  work,  and  everything  which  will  tend 
to  heighten  their  interest  in  the  movement  and  clear  their  un- 
derstanding as  to  its  correct  methods.  In  a  word,  the  Univer- 
sity Extension  lecturer  should  look  upon  himself  as  the  apostle 
of  the  movement,  and  as  having  a  special  call  to  educate  and  en- 
lighten the  local  committee  and  the  community  in  such  a  way  as 
to  further  most  efficiently  the  permanent  interests  of  the  cause. 


IO4     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

But  I  do  not  think  that  the  University  Extension  lecturer 
should  stop  with  this.  University  Extension  is  not  going  to  ac- 
complish its  fullest  mission  unless  it  succeeds  in  interesting  the 
committee  not  merely  in  literature,  in  art,  in  science,  as  branches 
of  human  knowledge,  but  in  education  as  one  of  the  great  funda- 
mental interests  of  society,  in  education  as  a  branch  of  human 
life  and  institutions  which  stands  side  by  side  with  religion,  with 
politics,  with  business,  and  with  amusement  as  a  great  and  funda- 
mental category  of  social  existence.  I  believe  that  we  have,  in 
this  movement,  the  greatest  machinery  for  enlightening  the  pub- 
lic upon  educational  questions,  the  greatest  opportunity  for 
getting  public  attention  to  the  importance  and  significance  of 
educational  problems  that  has  ever  been  offered  to  us  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world.  If  this  work  be  properly  organized  and  fitted 
into  the  other  educational  interests  and  agencies  in  the  com- 
munity, it  may  enormously  increase  the  efficiency  of  them  all 
by  directing  public  attention  and  interest  to  the  subject,  as  a 
whole,  in  a  way  which  has  been  hitherto  unknown.  Now,  the 
man  who  is  to  do  this  for  us,  and  the  only  man  who  can  do  it,  is 
the  University  Extension  lecturer.  Surely  we  have  the  right  to 
expect  from  the  university  and  college  man  an  interest  in  educa- 
tion as  such, — an  interest  in  the  great  department  of  which  his 
particular  work  forms  a  very  small,  an  almost  infinitesimal  part. 
It  is  not  too  much  to  expect,  it  is  not  too  much  to  demand,  that 
he  should  put  forth  a  portion  of  his  effort  to  assist  the  cause  as  a 
whole,  to  help  education  as  a  whole,  as  distinct  from  other  in- 
terests of  life,  into  that  place  of  prominence  which  it  may  fairly 
demand  in  modern  life  by  its  importance  and  significance  for 
modern  civilization.  The  University  Extension  lecturer  can  do 
this  in  an  incidental  way,  and  in  such  form  as  to  immensely 
heighten  and  stimulate  the  interest  in  University  Extension  and 
the  interest  in  the  particular  subject  which  he  is  teaching. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  go  into  the  description  of  de- 
tails as  to  what  the  lecturer  may  do  and  as  to  how  he  may  do  it, 
in  the  direction  I  have  indicated.  It  may  not,  however,  be  out 
of  place  to  suggest  some  possible  things  and  then  ask  the  indi- 
vidual lecturers,  here  and  elsewhere,  to  let  us  know  about  the 


The  University  Extension  Lecturer.  105 

work  they  are  doing  in  this  direction,  and  to  pour  in  their  sug- 
gestions upon  us.  For  example,  suppose  the  University  Exten- 
sion lecturer  has  under  consideration  the  subject  of  literature. 
Suppose  he  takes  a  few  moments,  five  or  ten  minutes,  at  the 
beginning  of  his  lecture,  or  preceding  the  close,  for  a  little 
discussion  of  educational  topics  in  one  form  or  another.  He 
will  find  the  public  very  much  interested  in  them,  if  he  will 
take  a  little  pains  to  put  them  into  proper  shape.  He  will  find 
that  people  will  go  home  and  talk  about  them,  and,  from  that 
time,  they  will  take  a  new  interest  in  everything  pertaining  to 
education.  Suppose,  for  example,  on  one  occasion  he  were  to 
talk  about  the  function  of  the  university  in  the  life  of  nations, 
give  them  a  little  historical  sketch  of  the  rise  of  universities,  of 
the  place  they  have  occupied  in  ancient  and  modern  times,  with 
some  of  the  interesting  incidents  connected  with  the  develop- 
ment of  these  institutions,  and  such  instances  are  innumerable. 
Suppose  he  were  to  follow  that,  upon  another  occasion,  by  a  brief 
discussion  of  the  rise  of  the  modern  university,  of  what  it  is  in 
England,  France,  and  Germany,  and  of  what  it  is  in  the  United 
States  to-day.  Let  him  give  an  account  of  the  rise  and  develop- 
ment of  the  American  college,  of  the  changes  which  it  has  un- 
dergone, of  what  its  specific  function  is.  Let  him  take  up  his 
own  subject,  English  literature,  give  an  account  of  its  first  intro- 
duction into  the  universities  as  an  individual  discipline,  of  its  de- 
velopment and  of  its  present  state,  of  the  way  it  is  organized,  of 
the  methods  of  instruction,  of  its  relation  to  other  branches; 
following  that  up  by  a  discussion  of  the  University  Extension 
movement  as  such,  as  the  last  and  latest  outgrowth  of  colleges 
and  universities.  It  would  be  perfectly  feasible  for  him,  by  giv- 
ing a  few  minutes  each  evening,  at  the  opening  of  his  lecture,  to 
some  of  these  general  topics,  to  increase  immensely  the  interest 
in  his  lecture  course,  without  in  any  sense  interfering  with  his 
educational  work,  thus  interesting  the  community  in  higher 
institutions,  in  the  University  Extension  movement,  and,  briefly, 
in  higher  education  as  a  whole. 

Some  one  may  say  that  this  is  too  much  to  ask  of  the  college 
or  university  man,  that  he  does  not  know  enough  about  educa- 


io6     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

tion  in  general,  that  he  does  not  know  enough  about  the  colleges 
and  universities,  that  he  does  not  know  enough  about  University 
Extension,  even,  to  speak  intelligently  upon  these  topics.  If  this 
be  so,  and,  alas  !  I  am  afraid  there  is  too  much  truth  in  it,  surely 
it  is  a  sad  state  of  affairs,  and  one  that  ought  to  be  remedied. 
Men  who  are  engaged  in  a  great  educational  work  ought  cer- 
tainly to  be  willing  to  take  the  time  to  learn  something  of  the 
history  of  that  work  itself,  what  it  means  in  the  present,  what  it 
has  meant  in  the  past,  if  not  to  give  some  thought  and  reflection 
to  the  question  of  what  it  may  mean  in  the  future.  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  the  men  who  are  going  to  do  the  most  useful 
work  in  this  field  are  men  who  will  be  able  to  do  the  particular 
things  which  I  have  outlined  above.  I  would  not,  however,  say 
that  no  one  could  do  successful  work  in  this  line  who  could  not 
accomplish  all  the  things  just  described,  but  certainly  his  work 
will  be  more  successful  in  proportion  as  he  is  able  to  measure 
himself  up  more  nearly  to  the  standard  indicated  in  the  above 
description. 


THE    IDEAL    SYLLABUS. 

BY   HENRY   W.  ROLFE,  M.A.,  S.C., 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

THE  aim  of  the  University  Extension  lecturer  is  not  so  much 
to  instruct  his  hearers  directly  as  to  stimulate  them  to  independent 
study  of  their  own.  His  work  is  largely  a  failure  if  he  does  not 
lead  them  to  think  for  themselves,  and  moreover  to  think  thor- 
oughly. In  writing  the  lectures,  therefore,  in  conducting  the 
class,  in  criticising  the  weekly  papers,  the  thing  that  he  must 
especially  have  in  mind  is  the  necessity  of  developing  thor- 
oughness and  independence.  And  of  course  this  holds  good  of 
the  making  of  the  syllabus  as  well.  It  likewise  must  be  con- 
structed with  careful  reference  to  these  two  results.  Conse- 
quently it  may  be  said  that  the  best  syllabus  is  the  one  which 
makes  thorough  study  seem  desirable  and  easy,  and  so  tempts 
the  Extension  student  to  undertake  it ;  but  which  refrains,  on 
the  other  hand,  from  guiding  his  steps  with  such  great  care  that 
he  shall  have  nothing  to  do  but  follow,  and  so  shall  lose  all 
independence  of  judgment. 

Permit  me  to  take  up  these  two  considerations  somewhat  in 
detail.  And  first,  the  question  of  thoroughness.  What  must 
the  syllabus  comprise  if  it  is  to  help  the  student  to  do  thorough 
work? 

For  one  thing,  of  course,  it  must  give  him  full  and  accurate 
information  in  regard  to  the  best  books  on  the  subject  in  hand. 
This  information,  moreover,  must  be  well-ordered,  discrimina- 
tive. I  cannot  think  that  a  mere  list  of  titles  can  ever  be  suffi- 
cient. The  student  should  be  told  plainly  what  works  are  abso- 
lutely essential,  what  stand  next  in  importance,  and  what  finally 
are  good  but  yet  of  minor  interest,  or  perhaps  special  in  their 
nature,  so  that  they  should  be  used  only  by  those  who  wish  to 
undertake  comparatively  exhaustive  investigations.  He  should 

107 


io8     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

be  told,  too,  in  what  order  the  books  of  each  of  these  classes 
should  be  taken  up,  what  prejudices  and  prepossessions  on  the 
part  of  their  authors  are  to  be  guarded  against,  how  one  volume 
may  be  made  to  supplement  the  deficiencies  of  another,  and  so 
on.  In  a  word,  the  lecturer  should,  in  the  syllabus,  freely  give 
to  his  pupils,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  to  do  so,  the  full  benefit  of 
that  knowledge  of  the  literature  of  the  subject  which  he  himself 
has  slowly  accumulated.  In  my  opinion,  he  may  well  go  so  far 
as  to  specify  editions  and  mention  prices.  And  I  certainly 
would  have  him,  in  addition  to  the  general  hints  of  which  I  have 
been  speaking,  or  in  connection  with  them,  sketch  out  both  a 
major  and  a  minor  course  of  reading,  somewhat  in  detail ;  that 
is,  both  a  leisurely  rambling  path  and  a  short  cut  through  the 
great  field  of  study  that  he  has  mapped  out  in  his  preceding 
recommendations. 

Consider  for  a  moment  how  the  syllabus  will  be  used,  and  you 
will  not  accuse  me  of  having  Iai4  too  much  stress  upon  this 
matter  of  a  bibliographical  introduction  to  it.  Many  intending 
students  will  turn  to  it,  long  in  advance  of  the  lectures,  for  hints 
in  regard  to  preparatory  reading.  Students'  associations  will 
be  guided  by  it  in  the  purchase  of  their  works  of  reference. 
Libraries  will  avail  themselves  of  its  suggestions  in  their  efforts 
to  use  their  resources  for  the  benefit  of  local  centres.  And,  most 
important  of  all  perhaps,  the  syllabus  is  likely  to  become,  in 
some  cases  at  all  events,  the  handbook  of  the  solitary  students, 
who,  after  being  awakened  by  the  lectures  to  a  deep  interest  in 
some  subject,  will  strive  to  continue  its  study  by  himself,  for 
months  and  perhaps  years,  during  which  time  he  certainly  will 
need  all  possible  assistance. 

I  pass  now  to  the  lecture  outline.  This  has  varied  very  much, 
sometimes  being  a  mere  skeleton  of  the  lecture,  in  the  form  of  a 
few  short  sentences  or  a  series  of  bare  catch-words,  sometimes, 
on  the  other  hand,  presenting  a  careful  condensation  of  every- 
thing essential  in  the  whole  discourse.  The  former  method, 
that  of  short  sentences  or  catch-words,  would  do  very  well  if 
the  object  of  this  outline  were  simply  to  spare  hearers  the  labor 
and  distraction  of  taking  notes  in  the  lecture-room,  it  being 


The  Ideal  Syllabus.  109 

understood  that  they  would  carefully  write  out  the  substance  of 
what  they  had  heard  as  soon  as  they  reached  their  homes.  But, 
if  the  syllabus  is  to  save  them  from  all  note-taking  whatever, 
after  the  lecture  as  well  as  doing  its  progress,  if  it  is  to  be  made, 
as  I  believe  it  should  be,  a  substitute  for  such  task- work,  serving 
to  recall  at  any  time,  however  remote,  all  that  the  lecturer 
deemed  of  special  value ;  then  it  should  be  fairly  full,  should  be 
an  epitome,  a  synopsis,  rather  than  the  barest  and  briefest  sum- 
mary. It  will  in  that  case  go  far  towards  insuring  that  thor- 
oughness of  work  upon  which  I  am  now  dwelling;  for  it  will 
render  it  almost  impossible  for  the  lecture,  which  is  the  first  step 
in  Extension  work  and  thus  in  certain  respects  the  most  im- 
portant, to  be  dealt  with  superficially  and  imperfectly  by  a 
student  who  is  at  all  in  earnest. 

I  would  ask  your  consideration  now  of  a  third  feature  of  the 
syllabus,  the  questions  in  answer  to  which  the  weekly  papers  are 
written.  Upon  the  skill  with  which  these  are  chosen  depends 
very  largely  the  value  of  the  paper  work ;  and  upon  that,  in 
turn,  depends  more  than  upon  anything  else  the  final  worth  of 
the  entire  course  of  study.  So  the  questions  should  be  con- 
trived with  the  utmost  care.  They  should  not  be  so  difficult  as 
to  repel  the  student  nor  yet  so  easy  that  he  may  answer  them 
without  some  measure  of  earnest  thought.  They  should  cun- 
ningly tempt  him  to  read,  consider,  compare.  They  should 
suggest  to  him  the  many  aspects  of  the  subject,  its  large  possi- 
bilities, the  deep  underlying  philosophy  of  it.  In  fine,  the 
questions  are  of  the  very  greatest  importance,  and  demand  in 
their  preparation  all  the  lecturer's  art. 

Up  to  this  point  I  have  spoken  of  the  necessity  of  making  the 
syllabus  of  such  a  character  in  every  part  that  the  student  will 
be  helped  and,  indeed,  almost  compelled  by  it  to  be  thorough 
and  careful  in  his  work.  Allow  me  now  to  call  your  attention 
to  the  necessity  of  developing  within  him  independence  as  well. 
The  lecturer  will  render  his  hearer  but  a  poor  service  if  he  teaches 
him  to  be  ever  so  thorough,  but  in  so  doing  represses  his  orig- 
inality. Hence  great  pains  must  be  taken  to  leave  room  for  the 
free  play  of  his  judgment.  So  in  the  syllabus,  as  in  the  lecture, 


HO     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

one  must  sedulously  avoid  dogmatic  assertions,  or  a  one-sided 
presentation  of  the  matter;  must  persistently  maintain  an  atti- 
tude of  inquiry  and  a  spirit  of  fair  investigation  and  free  dis- 
cussion; or,  to  be  less  general  in  statement,  one  must  refrain 
from  giving  too  much  advice  about  books  and  reading,  too  full 
an  outline  of  the  lecture,  questions  too  searching  and  exhaustive. 
Leave  the  pupil  something  to  find  out  for  himself.  It  is  better, 
even,  to  let  him  make  frequent  mistakes  than  to  guard  him  with 
too  much  care  against  making  any. 

The  task,  then,  to  sum  up  our  conclusions,  is  to  reconcile  in 
the  syllabus  as  well  as  may  be  two  somewhat  conflicting  require- 
ments :  the  necessity  of  so  guiding  the  student  that  he  shall  not 
find  it  easy  to  be  superficial,  and  the  no  less  imperative  necessity 
of  leaving  him  so  free  from  guidance  that  he  shall  be  forced  to 
be  somewhat  independent  and  original  in  his  work. 

I  am  well  aware  that  a  syllabus  which  should  satisfy  those 
requirements  must  be  very  difficult  to  construct.  But  so  are  all 
forms  of  Extension  work  difficult.  And  it  is  a  fortunate  thing 
that  it  is  so.  If  they  were  easy  for  either  teacher  or  pupil,  this 
movement  could  not  accomplish  the  great  results  that  we  hope 
from  it.  For  strenuous  effort  alone  can  develop  one's  powers. 

It  is  not  to  be  regretted  then  that  the  syllabus  is  found  to 
require  much  time  and  much  study.  And  it  is  plain  that  the 
lecturer  cannot  be  altogether  successful  who  allows  himself  to 
think  of  it  as  a  slight  task,  something  that  can  be  thrown  off  in 
an  hour  or  two,  perhaps  even  before  the  lectures  are  written. 
He  should  rather  look  upon  it  as  one  of  the  three  important 
steps  in  the  preparation  of  his  course.  He  should  feel  that  he 
has  first  to  master  his  subject;  then  to  construct  his  lectures 
with  all  his  skill ;  and  then,  finally,  to  devote  unlimited  time  and 
pains  to  the  making  of  his  guide,  this  hand-book,  this  repre- 
sentative, always  present  with  the  student,  of  himself,  and  his 
efforts. 

And  now,  as  I  close,  permit  me  to  commend  to  your  notice 
certain  concrete  illustrations  of  what  a  good  syllabus  should  be.  I 
may  not  refer,  of  course,  to  the  work  of  any  of  our  American 
lecturers,  lest  I  should  seem  to  make  comparisons  and  distinc- 


Remarks.  1 1 1 

tions ;  but  I  can  and  do  suggest  that  all  who  are  interested  in  the 
matter  study  the  syllabus  of  our  English  visitors  of  last  year 
and  this. 


REMARKS. 


Professor  Edward  H.  Magill,  of  Swarthmore  College,  said : 
As  the  syllabus  is  an  essential  part  of  every  well-organized 
University  Extension  course,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  given  is  a  subject  for  our  serious  consideration.  And 
first  of  all,  let  me  say  that  I  do  not  present  my  own  views  upon 
this  subject  as  the  only  correct  views,  or  those  which  I  would 
urge  upon  others.  Nor  can  I  speak,  as  others  can,  from  experi- 
ence in  University  Extension  work,  but  what  I  shall  say  is  based 
upon  my  experience  in  my  own  college  classes.  For  myself,  then, 
let  me  say  that  I  should  consider  it  a  serious  error  to  follow  the 
usual  practice  of  giving  out  to  classes  the  syllabus  before  the 
beginning  of  a  lecture.  I  desire  to  have  the  undivided  attention 
of  a  class  to  the  various  parts  of  the  subject  which  I  present, 
and  not  to  have  that  attention  divided  nor  distracted  by  endeav- 
oring, while  listening,  to  follow  the  printed  syllabus  before  them. 
An  instructor  presents  his  subject  under  the  most  advantageous 
circumstances  when  he  can  ask  his  classes,  in  the  beginning,  to 
give  him  their  undivided  attention,  without  being  burdened  by 
taking  notes,  and  that  all  notes  needed  for  the  home  study  of  the 
subject  will  be  given  them  at  the  close  of  the  lecture.*  I  know 
that  it  is  sometimes  said  that  taking  notes  is  a  useful  practice, 
and  that  it  is  not  well  for  classes  to  be  relieved  from  it.  This  is 
doubtless  true,  but  there  will  be  other  occasions  when  this  prac- 
tice may  be  acquired,  and  the  University  Extension  lecturer 
who  desires  to  give  his  classes  the  maximum  amount  of  knowl- 
edge in  his  necessarily  limited  time,  will  be  careful  not  to  burden 
them  with  anything  that  is  unnecessary.  This  argument  reminds 
me  of  the  old  familiar  one  that  mental  discipline,  being  the  chief 


112     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

end  of  all  study,  whatever  will  add  to  the  difficulty  of  a  study  is 
so  much  added  to  its  value.  We  all  know  that  in  these  latter  days, 
when  so  many  studies  are  clamoring  for  a  place  in  our  curricula, 
this  purely  mental  discipline  claim  has  lost  a  large  portion  of  its 
significance.  I  would  then  say,  print  the  syllabus  of  each  lecture 
on  a  separate  sheet,  give  it  out  at  the  close,  and  open  each  lec- 
ture hour  by  a  brief  examination  upon  the  last  lecture,  sometimes 
conducted  viva  voce,  and  sometimes  in  writing.  And  at  the 
close  of  the  course,  while  I  would  give  a  final  written  general 
examination,  in  determining  the  success  of  the  student  I  should 
also  give  much  weight  to  the  result  of  these  briefer  examinations 
given  from  week  to  week. 

These  are  my  views  upon  this  important  point,  and  for  myself 
I  am  sure  that  they  are  correct,  although  they  might  not  prove 
to  be  so  for  another  member  of  this  Convention.  If  there  is 
one  lesson  which,  more  than  others,  has  been  impressed  upon  us 
by  these  meetings  (if  such  lessons  were  needed),  it  seems  to  me 
to  be  this :  That  in  the  science  and  art  of  teaching,  there  is  no 
truth  more  important  than  that  we  must,  as  teachers,  be  our- 
selves, preserving  our  own  individuality  j  and  that  any  attempt 
to  follow  implicitly  in  the  footsteps  of  others  can  never  secure 
the  highest  results,  but. only  alow  and  uniform  order  of  mediocrity. 


THE   ORGANIZATION   AND   FUNCTION   OF 
LOCAL  CENTRES. 

BY    M.    E.    SADLER, 
Student  of  Christ  Church  and  Secretary  to  the  Oxford  Delegacy. 

IN  order  to  discharge  the  duty  which  has  been  laid  upon  me 
this  morning,  I  shall  attempt  to  describe  to  the  conference  the 
natural  history  of  a  typical  University  Extension  centre.  It 
often  happens  that  it  is  a  woman  who  first  determines  to  establish 
University  Extension  in  a  new  locality.  She  has  attended  Exten- 
sion lectures  elsewhere,  or  has  heard  from  friends  what  they  have 
gained  from  the  system,  or  she  has  been  to  some  summer  school 
and  there  realized  the  advantage  of  stimulating  guidance  in 
higher  studies,  or  she  may  have  learned  from  magazines  and  news- 
papers the  promises  and  the  possibilities  of  University  Extension, 
— come  the  inspiration  whence  it  may,  she  sets  to  work  to  obtain 
for  her  fellow-citizens  an  opportunity  of  profiting  by  this  new 
educational  advantage.  We  in  England  have  seen  scores  of 
centres  begun  or  saved  through  the  efforts  of  a  few  girls,  who, 
first  by  interesting  their  immediate  friends,  next  by  securing  the 
support  of  influential  citizens,  have  aroused  an  interest  in,  and 
provided  the  means  for,  the  successful  introduction  of  University 
Extension  teaching  into  a  town  where  it  had  not  been  previously 
established.  In  University  Extension  work,  it  is  the  spirit  that 
really  matters.  Be  the  course  however  short,  be  the  teaching 
however  intermittent,  if  it  is  introduced  and  carried  on  in  a 
spirit  of  true  democratic  zeal  for  the  widening  of  intellectual  op- 
portunity, if  it  is  maintained  by  men  and  women  who  are  deter- 
mined that  they  for  their  part  will  not  allow  their  own  faculties 
to  rust,  or  their  own  knowledge  to  grow  dim,  or  smattering  to 
take  the  place  of  thoroughness,  or  gossip  and  triviality  to  exhaust 
leisure  that  might  have  been  rich  in  study, — if  the  spirit  is  right, 
organization  may  be  trusted  to  follow  in  due  season.  The  centre 

8  113 


1 14     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

which  fails  is  the  centre  which  relies  on  arid  organization  alone, 
which  thinks  that  printing  an  armful  of  circulars  and  posting  a 
basketful  of  envelopes  and  advertising  in  the  nearest  newspaper 
are  enough  to  insure  the  success  of  its  work.  Canvassing,  pub- 
lication, advertising,  are  all  necessary  and  useful  features  in  an 
educational  campaign.  We  live  in  an  age  just  learning  how 
wisely  to  apply  business  methods  to  educational  work.  But,  un- 
less the  organization  is  informed  by  the  right  kind  of  spirit,  the 
spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  of  intellectual  humility,  of  enthusiasm  for 
learning,  the  work,  however  proudly  it  begins,  can  end  only  in 
costly  disappointment,  like  the  bare  walls  of  some  great  house 
abandoned  before  it  is  inhabited. 

It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  describe  the  various  methods  which 
have  been  found  useful  in  arousing  in  a  locality  public  interest 
in  University  Extension.  These  methods  are  tersely  and  lucidly 
set  out  in  the  publications  of  the  American  Society  for  the  Exten- 
sion of  University  teaching.  I  must,  however,  in  passing,  dwell 
with  emphasis,  first,  on  the  necessity  of  securing  the  co-operation 
of  the  conductors  of  the  local  press,  an  agency,  to  the  constant 
efforts  of  which,  on  behalf  of  University  Extension,  I  am  happy 
to  take  this  opportunity  of  publicly  testifying;  second,  on  the 
fact  that  it  is  essential  that  the  Committees  of  Local  Organizers 
should  be  representative  of  all  denominations,  of  all  shades  of 
politics,  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  and  women.  The 
task  in  which  we  are  engaged  is  a  national  (I  had  almost  said  an 
international)  one;  we  must  not  let  it  be  disfigured  by  any  taint 
of  partisanship  or  exclusiveness ;  third,  on  our  experience  that 
the  only  means  by  which  the  permanent  success  of  a  University 
Extension  centre  can  be  assured  is  by  personal  labor  on  the  part 
of  the  local  organizers.  Personal  canvassing,  personal  persuasion, 
personal  sympathy,  personal  encouragement  are  the  only  methods 
by  which  in  the  long  run  you  can  get  the  people  to  take  a  strong 
interest  in  the  higher  discipline  of  the  intellect.  You  may  gather 
together  for  your  opening  lecture  a  large  and  miscellaneous  audi- 
ence, but  it  is  the  novelty  of  the  thing  that  has  brought  many  of 
them  together ;  with  most  of  the  great  crowd  the  local  organizers 
will  have  no  further  chance  of  dealing.  It  is  the  small  nucleus 


The  Organization  and  Function  of  Local  Centres.     1 1 5 

of  sincere,  serious  students  that  is  going  to  make  the  future  of  the 
centre.  That  nucleus  may  well  be  small.  In  a  population  of 
twenty  thousand  people  there  may  not  be  more  than  ten  or  twenty 
who  really  will  submit  themselves  to  the  tests  of  application  and 
thoroughness  which  University  Extension  imposes  on  all  who 
truly  try  to  profit  by  it.  But  that  little  handful  often  or  twenty 
people,  young  and  poor  as  many  of  them  will  be,  are  just  the  very 
people  whom  it  is  both  our  duty  and  our  interest  to  encourage  in 
the  higher  kinds  of  mental  self-improvement.  They  are  the  men 
and  women  who  as  they  grow  older  will  be  the  making  of  the  town 
in  which  they  live.  They  will  be  the  salt  of  their  community,  and 
it  is  simply  plain  common-sense  to  save  the  salt  from  losing  its 
savor. 

But  here  comes  in  the  characteristic  difficulty  of  University 
Extension.  Good  teaching,  like  everything  else  that  is  good, 
costs  money.  But  how  can  so  small  a  group  of  students  support 
the  heavy  charge  which  the  arrangement  of  frequent  and  pro- 
gressive courses  will  impose  upon  them  ?  Financial  help  must 
come  to  them  from  the  outside  j  they  must  partly  rely  on  dona- 
tions and  subscriptions.  Happily,  however,  for  them,  if  there 
is  one  country  in  the  whole  world  where  a  just  appeal  for  edu- 
cational benevolence  will  not  pass  unregarded,  it  is  America. 

The  first  problem,  therefore,  before  the  local  organizers,  after 
securing  their  nucleus  of  students,  is  to  awaken  educational  in- 
terest in  a  sufficient  number  of  the  general  public  to  such  a  point 
as  to  induce  the  necessary  number  of  these  outsiders  to  bear 
with  the  students  the  cost  of  the  teaching.  And  here  there 
enters  into  local  organization  that  double  element  of  interest 
which  makes  so  much  of  University  Extension  work  unstable. 
The  tastes  of  the  real  students  and  of  the  general  public,  though 
they  may  run  along  the  same  road  up  to  a  certain  point,  are  not 
always  identical.  The  student  yearns  for  sequence ;  the  general 
public  hankers  after  variety ;  the  student  wishes  course  to  follow 
course  in  such  a  way  as  to  build  up  a  curriculum  of  ordered 
study ;  the  general  public  is  always  crying  out  for  literature  as  a 
relief  from  history,  for  science  as  a  change  from  literature.  And 
it  is  for  this  reason  that  the  early  labors  of  a  local  committee  are 


1 1 6     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

generally  labors  which  end  in  compromise,  the  students  yielding 
in  one  session  to  the  whims  of  the  public,  the  public  in  the  next 
grudgingly  giving  way  to  the  needs  of  the  students.  It  is, 
therefore,  the  duty  of  the  Local  Committee  to  neglect  no  means 
of  gradually  increasing  the  size  of  the  student  body, — and  this 
is  to  be  done  by  recruiting  the  corps  of  real  students  from  the 
ranks  of  the  general  public.  And  it  is  the  privilege  of  every 
lecturer  to  co-operate  with.the  local  organizers  in  this  protracted 
effort  to  arouse  in  dull  or  flighty  natures  a  perception  of  the 
noble  beauty  of  earnest  study,  and  to  rescue  promising  but  neg- 
lected talents  from  apathy  or  dilettanteism. 

On  the  hidden  rocks  of  intellectual  unconcern  the  little  ship 
of  University  Extension  often  founders.  But  I  desire  to  speak 
from  personal  knowledge  of  a  real  case,  as  showing  the  perma- 
nently good  results  which  sometimes  follow  from  true  University 
Extension  work,  even  when  hidden  under  apparent  failure.  To 
a  little  town  in  the  north  of  England  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge (which,  it  is  both  a  pleasure  and  a  duty  for  me  to  say, 
bore  in  Great  Britain  the  labor  of  University  Extension  work 
long  before  any  other  university  came  forward  to  take  its  share 
in  the  task)  sent  nearly  twenty  years  ago  two  lecturers  on  what  was 
then  the  new  University  Extension  scheme.  Preparations  had 
been  made  for  their  coming ;  the  best  people  in  the  town  had 
subscribed  to  the  project ;  bills  had  been  posted  on  every  wall. 
But  when  the  lectures  began  the  audience  was  insignificant,  and, 
as  the  course  proceeded,  dwindled  down  to  eight  people.  There 
were  five  young  women,  there  was  a  French  dentist,  a  young 
engineer,  and  the  local  postmaster.  Nothing  could  have  seemed 
more  disappointing,  nothing  more  obscure.  I  remember  going 
to  one  lecture  as  a  boy  from  school  when  the  lecturer  was  trying 
to  illustrate  his  discourse  by  a  magic  lantern.  He  had  brought 
his  gas  with  him  in  a  bag,  and,  through  some  difficulty  of  press- 
ure, he  found  it  necessary  to  retire  behind  the  screen  where  the 
bag  lay,  and  in  this  retreat  concealed  from  the  eyes  of  the  audi- 
ence and  squatting  on  his  india-rubber  apparatus  to  continue  his 
discourse.  It  was  not  thought  that  University  Extension  in  that 
town  had  aroused  sufficient  interest  to  warrant  its  continuance. 


The  Organization  and  Function  of  Local  Centres.     1 1 7 

And  yet,  had  the  promoters  only  known,  had  they  only  been 
able  to  divine  the  future,  they  would  have  seen  that  these  eight 
people  contained  in  their  number  just  those  whom  it  was  worth 
while  to  stimulate  by  educational  opportunities.  And  I  can 
bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  the  seed  sown  in  those  few  courses 
of  lectures  which  came  to  such  an  untimely  end  sprang  up  at 
last  into  a  harvest  of  new  intellectual  interests,  and  that  the  in- 
fluence of  those  first  University  Extension  lecturers  can  be  felt 
indirectly  in  a  hundred  ways  in  the  present  fortunes  of  that 
town.  The  local  postmaster,  who  was  a  true  poet,  is  dead  years 
ago.  The  French  dentist  is  a  dentist  still ;  the  young  engineer 
is  near  the  top  of  one  of  the  greatest  firms  in  the  country ;  of 
the  five  young  women  not  one  but  is  now  in  some  way  or  other 
connected  with  some  of  the  highest  educational  work  in  Eng- 
land, having  derived  from  those  Extension  lectures  saving  stimu- 
lus, if  not  her  first  impulse,  to  the  higher  kinds  of  intellectual 
interests. 

For  some  sessions  the  ordinary  centre  will  naturally  content 
itself  with  a  moderate  measure  of  university  teaching.  It  is  un- 
wise to  choke  the  smoking  flax,  to  impose  upon  a  town  educa- 
tional provision  beyond  its  appetite.  A  new  centre  must  be 
coaxed,  not  satiated.  Gradual  signs  will  not  long  be  wanting 
of  the  consolidation  of  educational  effort  even  in  the  most  back- 
ward town.  One  of  the  earliest  indications  is  the  formation  of 
a  Students'  Union,  a  society,  that  is,  of  persons  combining 
themselves  together  for  a  common  purpose  in  study,  and  agree- 
ing to  meet  on  one  evening  in  each  week  or  fortnight  for  dis- 
cussion of  assigned  topics  studied  by  the  members  privately 
during  the  intervening  days.  For  the  present  success  of  the 
Students'  Unions  we  owe  in  England  a  debt  to  the  great  initiative 
guidance  of  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  the  well-known  Cambridge 
lecturer,  of  whom  it  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  in  its  most 
critical  days  he  saved  the  University  Extension  movement. 

As  the  Students'  Union  becomes  more  influential,  its  wishes 
are  considered  with  greater  deference  on  the  part  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Local  Organizers,  which  should  always  include  represen- 
tatives of  the  Students'  Union.  The  courses  themselves  are  then 


1 1 8     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

arranged  so  as  to  cover  a  longer  period  of  study,  and  subjects  are 
chosen  by  the  local  committee  in  such  a  way  as  to  promote 
sequence  of  interest,  until  at  length  either  lecture  or  students' 
meeting  takes  place  once  or  twice  in  every  week  from  October 
to  April.  Each  year,  too,  efforts  will  be  made  to  prevent  educa- 
tional work  from  falling  during  the  summer  into  its  long  abey- 
ance. Field  work  for  the  naturalist,  summer  ramble  for  the 
botanist,  mountain  trip  for  the  geologist,  excursion  to  some  dis- 
tant art  gallery  or  object  of  antiquarian  interest  for  the  student 
of  history,  will  all  serve  as  attractive  items  in  a  programme  of 
summer ;  study,  but,  above  all,  attendance  at  the  summer  school 
provides  the  best  opportunity  for  the  student  to  carry  on  his 
work  between  the  courses  and  this  excellent  institution,  which 
we  in  England  have  adopted  from  your  own  famous  American 
examples,  has  done  more  than  anything  else  to  provide  a  year- 
long continuity  in  Extension  efforts. 

Sooner  or  later  the  local  centre  will  find  itself  drawn  into  co- 
operation with  neighboring  towns.  Indeed,  the  sooner  this  hap- 
pens the  better.  Concert  of  this  kind  facilitates  organization, 
reduces  railway  expenses,  economizes  waste,  lessens  fatigue,  and 
by  degrees  there  will  break  on  the  minds  of  the  local  organizers 
the  realization  of  the  possibilities  which  lie  in  this  co-operation 
of  neighboring  towns  in  educational  effort.  They  can  establish, 
as  Dr.  Roberts  well  put  it,  a  floating  university  college.  The 
federation  of  centres  carries  with  it  many  incidental  advantages. 
It  welds  local  effort  into  an  impressive  unity ;  it  calls  public  at- 
tention to  the  widely-diffused  character  of  the  effort  which  is 
carrying  on  University  teaching  in  so  many  towns.  It  promotes 
the  frequent  and  friendly  interchange  of  experience  between  local 
organizers,  who,  though  engaged  in  the  same  work  and  resident 
in  the  same  district,  are  often  strangely  ignorant  of  one  another's 
personalities,  methods,  and  aims.  But  the  chief  purpose  of  fed- 
eration in  University  Extension  work  is  to  enable  contiguous 
centres  to  secure  at  the  most  economical  rates  and  for  conveni- 
ent periods  the  services  of  an  efficient  staff  of  lecturers.  Every 
lecturer  does  not  suit  every  district.  It  would  be  wise  therefore 
for  the  co-operating  centres  to  find  a  young  man  to  act  as  their 


The  Organization  and  Function  of  Local  Centres.     119 

organizing  secretary,  to  put  him  on  his  mettle  to  make  the  educa- 
tional work  of  the  federation  a  success,  and  to  pay  him  a  stipend 
which  would  make  it  worth  his  while  to  give  the  federation  his 
best  thought  and  the  necessary  time.  Such  a  step,  though  in- 
volving outlay  at  first,  would  be  in  the  long  run  economical.  For 
the  newly-appointed  secretary,  after  fully  acquainting  himself  with 
the  different  natures  of  the  different  centres  in  the  federation, 
would  make  it  his  duty  to  visit  head-quarters  in  order  to  ascertain 
by  personal  inquiry  and  interview  which  of  the  lecturers  would 
suit  the  federation  best.  Returning  then  to  the  centres  he  would 
visit  the  towns  in  turn  and  lay  before  them  his  suggestions  as  to 
the  best  course  for  them  to  arrange.  With  tact  and  consideration 
he  would  then  draw  the  various  wishes  of  the  different  centres 
to  a  focus,  and  would  induce  them  all  to  agree  to  hire  a  small 
staff  of  lecturers  for  the  ensuing  year.  He  would  then  plan  out 
the  amount  of  time  which  each  of  the  lecturers  should  give  to 
each  of  the  centres,  the  division  of  their  services  being  made 
in  accordance  with  the  amount  of  each  centre's  contribution  to 
the  common  purse.  One  of  the  lecturers  would  probably  be  a 
man  who  would  worthily  bear  the  duty  of  principal  of  this  new 
kind  of  university  college,  and  represent  its  interests  on  public 
occasions  with  dignity  and  judgment.  The  advantages  of  this 
plan  lie  in  its  elasticity.  The  co-operating  towns  would  not  be 
tied  to  any  permanent  obligation.  They  could  change  their  staff 
of  teachers,  they  could  vary  their  curriculum,  they  could  widen  or 
contract  their  operations,  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  pru- 
dence and  the  changing  needs  of  recurring  years.  No  town  would 
find  itself  permanently  encumbered  with  the  services  of  a  teacher 
who,  however  learned,  was  unable  to  commend  his  subject  to 
the  expectations  of  his  hearers.  We  need  scholars,  but  not  ped- 
ants, for  our  work.  No  town  would  find  itself  compelled  to 
raise  large  capital  sums,  or  to  erect  costly  buildings.  For  by 
using  a  peripatetic  staff  of  teachers,  by  employing  existing  though 
possibly  scattered  accommodation,  a  town  would  get  the  substance 
of  University  teaching  with  economy  and  promptitude.  It  is  men, 
not  walls,  that  make  a  city,  as  the  Greek  poet  said.  The  prin- 
cipal strength  of  University  Extension  teaching  lies  in  the  person- 


1 20     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

alities  of  inspiring  lecturers,  not  in  the  costliness  of  their  material 
equipment. 

In  short,  University  Extension  in  a  local  centre  will  find  its 
crowning  development  in  the  foundation  of  what  I  may  call  a 
University  Extension  institute.  I  mean  by  this  a  central  institu- 
tion which  will  bear  witness  in  a  city  to  the  dignity  and  civic 
importance  of  higher  education.  Beginning  with  small  efforts, 
never  despising  the  day  of  small  things,  a  local  committee  will 
gradually  find  itself  enabled  by  the  support  of  grateful  students 
and  the  generosity  of  far-seeing  benefactors  to  provide  in  or- 
derly sequence  stimulating  courses  of  progressive  study,  so  that 
in  their  city  no  man  or  woman,  however  poor,  however  busy, 
however  far  removed  from  other  University  influence,  shall  not 
find  at  last  the  chance  of  studying  under  trained  and  sympathetic 
teachers  the  lessons  of  history,  the  masterpieces  of  literature,  the 
mysteries  of  science  until  at  length  we  shall  have  removed  for 
ever  the  aristocratic  exclusiveness  of  learning  and  have  equipped 
the  democracy  of  the  civilized  world  with  such  a  measure  of 
intelligent  culture  as  will  enable  them  not  only  to  admire  and 
appreciate  as  never  before  the  researches  and  attainments  of 
scholars  and  researchers,  but  more  worthily  to  bear  their  part  in 
the  public  duties  which  our  advancing  civilization  is  every  year 
throwing  more  heavily  on  each  of  them. 


REMARKS. 


Professor  Henry  W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
questioned  Mr.  Sadler  in  regard  to  the  fees  of  lecturers  in  the 
English  work.  After  some  discussion  on  this  point,  the  con- 
clusion was  reached  that  the  fees  of  lecturers  in  England  were 
relatively  the  same  as  those  required  by  the  American  Society, 
being  equivalent  to  about  twenty  dollars  for  each  lecture,  with 
the  travelling  expenses  of  the  lecturer.  Considerable  diversity 


Remarks.  121 

was  apparent  in  the  charges  in  different  States  of  the  Union. 
At  many  universities  the  charge  is  fixed  at  ten  dollars,  with 
expenses  for  each  lecture.  In  few  cases,  however,  does  it  seem 
possible  to  continue  Extension  teaching  beyond  the  trial  stage, 
at  this  rate. 

President  Charles  DeGarmo,  of  Swarthmore  College,  questioned 
Mr.  Sadler  as  to  the  use  of  fellows  and  graduate  students  as 
lecturers  in  Extension  work.  It  appeared  that  the  development 
of  University  Extension  in  England  has  been  possible  largely 
on  account  of  the  number  of  fellows  and  tutors  at  the  great 
universities,  who,  being  comparatively  free  from  university  duties, 
are  able  to  devote  themselves  to  outside  work.  The  sense  of  the 
conference  was,  that  a  similar  plan  might  be  found  practicable 
in  the  United  States,  as  the  number  of  resident  graduates  and 
fellows  increases  at  the  leading  universities. 


SOME    EXTENSION    EXPERIMENTS    IN 
AMERICAN    HISTORY. 

BY    JAMES    ALBERT    WOODBURN,    PH.D., 
Professor  of  American  History  in  the  Indiana  University. 

THE  purpose  of  this  paper  is  to  relate  briefly  some  personal 
experience  and  observations  in  University  Extension  teaching  in 
American  History.  The  experience  is  chiefly  confined  to  two 
Extension  classes.  The  classes  are  still  in  operation,  and  as  the 
end  is  required  to  crown  the  work,  permanent  conclusions  from 
the  experiments  in  many  important  respects  may  not  yet  be  safely 
drawn. 

The  first  extension  of  university  teaching  in  Indiana  was  under- 
taken in  Indianapolis  one  year  ago  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Indiana  branch  of  the  Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae.  This 
Association  in  Indiana,  through  its  committee  on  University 
Extension, — Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall,  President ;  Miss  Amelia 
Waring  Platter,  Secretary, — engaged  Prof.  J.  W.  Jenks,  then  of 
Indiana  University,  now  of  Cornell,  to  give  twelve  lectures  on 
political  economy.  The  lectures  were  given  on  consecutive 
Friday  nights  during  the  winter  months,  with  a  small  quiz  class 
the  following  Saturday  morning.  This,  like  many  first  courses, 
was  not  self-supporting,  but  it  was  so  satisfactory  and  successful 
in  every  other  essential  respect,  and  from  the  stand-point  of  pub- 
lic education  it  had  paid  in  such  positive  returns,  that  the  com- 
mittee determined,  at  the  risk  of  further  financial  loss,  to  continue, 
the  following  winter,  the  course  in  political  and  social  science, 
and  to  add  another  in  American  history.  For  the  second  year 
in  their  Extension  course  in  political  science  they  engaged  Dr. 
Edward  A.  Ross,  the  successor  of  Dr.  Jenks  in  the  Indiana  Uni- 
versity, who  will  begin  in  February  a  series  of  twelve  lectures  on 
social  and  economic  reform. 

122 


Some  Extension  Experiments  in  American  History.    123 

In  beginning  the  course  in  American  history  last  October,  by 
the  invitation  and  under  the  auspices  of  this  committee,  the  con- 
ception which  we  had  in  mind  of  the  work  to  be  done  was  pub- 
lished with  the  outline  announcement  of  the  course.  The  design 
embraced  these  points,  included  in  all  complete  Extension  teach- 
ings: 

1.  A  series  of  lectures  on  connected  topics  as  usual  in  the 
•development  of  a  continuous  subject.    For  this  course  twelve  lec- 
tures were  chosen  as  the  unit.     As  lectures  they  were  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  a  popular  course  in  that  they  were  not  to  be  on 
disconnected  themes  for  general  instruction  and  public  entertain- 
ment, but  on  connected  themes  for  special  instruction  and  private 
study. 

2.  A  syllabus  of  each  lecture  was  to  be  printed. 

3.  The  lectures  were  to  be  followed  by  a  class  exercise  of  equal 
length  with  the  lecture,  for  review,  tests,  quiz,  and  inquiry  on  the 
part  of  the  class. 

4.  An  examination  was  to  be  held  on  the  course,  a  certificate 
to  be  given  of  work  done,  which  was  to  be  made  a  matter  of 
record  and  credit  by  the  university. 

As  a  general  subject  for  study  we  chose  American  Political 
History  from  1776  to  1832,  dividing  the  term  of  study  by  the 
following  twelve  subjects : 

1.  The  Causes  of  the  American  Revolution. 

2.  The  Continental  Congress :  The  Nature  of  Its  Work  and  Its 
Constitutional  Relation  to  the  States. 

3.  The  Old  Confederation  and  Its  Failure:    "The  Critical 
Period  of  American  History." 

4.  The  Northwest  and  the  Ordinance  of  1787. 

5.  The  Constitutional  Convention  of  1787.     Its  Great  Men, 
Its  Great  Questions,  Its  Great  Compromises. 

6.  The  Financial  Measures  of  Hamilton. 

7.  Our  Neutral  Policy :  Foreign  Relations  under  Washington 
and  Adams. 

8.  Early  Political  Parties :  The  Alien  and  Sedition  Laws  and 
the  Fall  of  the  Federalists,  1800. 

9.  Jefferson  and  Louisiana. 


124     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

10.  The  continued  Struggle  for  Neutral  Rights  in  the  War  of 
1812. 

11.  Trie. Monroe  Doctrine  and  its  Applications  in  American 
History. 

12.  Jackson  and  the  Bank  Controversy. 

The  syllabus  of  the  first  lecture  contained  a  statement  of  the 
required  reading  for  the  course,  embracing  Johnston's  The 
United  States :  Its  History  and  Constitution.  Fiske's  Critical 
Period  of  American  History.  Burke's  Speech  on  American  Tax- 
ation. Certain  pages  of  Lecky's  chapter  on  The  Controversy 
with  America.  Certain  papers  in  The  Federalist.  Assigned 
papers  in  Schouler's  History  of  the  United  States,  and  the  study 
of  certain  State  papers  like  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  The 
Constitution,  The  Ordinance  of  1 787,  The  Virginia  and  Kentucky 
Resolutions  of  1798,  Washington's  Neutrality  Proclamation,  and 
Jackson's  veto  against  the  Bank. 

We  took  this  method  of  getting  before  the  class,  in  the  begin- 
ning, the  course  in  extcnso. 

During  the  seven  lectures  which  have  been  given,  the  lecture 
audiences  have  varied  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
in  number.  The  quiz  class,  presumably  doing  the  required  work, 
numbers  forty-seven.  In  addition  to  these  forty-seven,  eight 
have  paid  the  additional  fee  for  the  quiz  class,  and  have  chosen 
to  come  in  as  listeners,  but  not  as  reciters  and  participants ;  and 
the  Senior  Class  in  the  Indiana  Blind  Asylum  with  their  teacher, 
numbering  thirteen,  are  in  regular  attendance  at  the  quiz.  This 
gives  us  altogether  in  our  conference  and  quiz  a  class  of  sixty- 
eight.  The  class  meets  on  Friday  evenings,  one  hour  before  the 
lecture,  and  considers  the  subject  of  the  lecture  given  the  week 
before.  The  syllabus,  which  the  class  has  had  in  hand  a  week, 
besides  containing  a  topical  outline  of  the  week's  study,  suggests 
questions  for  review  which  they  are  expected  to  be  ready  to 
answer,  and  a  reference  list  of  books,  chapters,  and  monographs 
in  the  way  of  a  bibliography.  Special  topics  are  assigned  to 
individual  members  of  the  class  for  special  reading  and  reports. 
And  every  member  of  the  class  who  designs  to  complete  the 
required  work  is  expected  to  hand  in  a  written  summary  of  the 


Some  Extension  Experiments  in  American  History.    125 

previous  lecture.  This  is  part  of  the  written  work.  The  class 
have  access  to  the  public  libraries  of  the  city,  which,  it  is  reported, 
are  already  noticing  the  effect  of  the  courses. 

Only  oral  quizes  have  so  far  been  held,  though  written  ones 
may  be  expected,  and  the  effort  is  made  to  use  the  first  half-hour 
for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  class,  the  last  half-hour  for  the 
purpose  of  conference,  interchange  of  information  and  opinion, 
and  questions  on  the  part  of  the  class.  In  the  class  of  fifty-five, 
— not  counting  the  class  from  the  Blind  Asylum, — fifty  are  women 
and  five  are  men,  and  all  but  ten  are  teachers  in  the  public  schools. 
The  most  of  the  class  are  graduates  from  the  Indianapolis  High 
School,  or  the  Sewall  Classical  School  of  Indianapolis.  A  num- 
ber are  graduates  of  colleges,  some  are  very  capable  of  doing  ad- 
vanced university  work,  and  the  majority  of  the  class  may  be 
said  to  be  generally  well  informed  on  American  history.  I  am 
not  able  to  say  how  many  will  complete  the  required  work,  or 
pass  the  final  examination.  I  shall  expect  from  ten  to  twenty 
out  of  the  fifty.  The  examination  will  be  held  the  middle  of 
February,  and  Dr.  H.  B.  Adams,  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, has  consented  to  set  the  topics  on  the  basis  of  the  series  of 
syllabi. 

The  business  managers  have  charged  two  dollars  for  the  series 
of  twelve  lectures,  and  five  dollars  for  attendance  upon  both  the 
lecture  and  the  quiz.  It  would  seem  to  me  much  better  to 
charge  a  higher  fee  for  the  lectures,  with  merely  a  nominal  sum 
for  the  further  privilege  of  attendance  upon  the  quiz.  This  is 
the  essential  part  of  the  work,  where  lies  the  test,  of  success,  and 
it  should  receive  every  possible  encouragement.  It  does  not  re- 
quire much  exertion  to  absorb  something — or  to  attempt  to  do  so — 
from  an  evening  lecture,  but  to  undertake  the  reading  and  the  tests, 
this  only  the  most  eager  and  the  most  capable  will  endure.  The 
many  who  will  consent  to  the  former  should  be  led  to  bear  the 
expenses  for  the  elect  few  who  may  be  led  to  attempt  the  latter. 
The  managers,  however,  are  able  to  report  that  the  course  will  cover 
its  expenses,  amounting  in  all  to  about  four  hundred  dollars,  and 
will  realize  a  surplus  of  over  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  Chicago  experiment  is  from  many  points  of  view  a  more 


1 26     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

interesting  one.  This  course  in  Chicago  is  representative  of  the 
Extension  work,  both  of  the  Indiana  University  and  of  the  Chau- 
tauqua  movement  for  college  education,  as  the  course  is  given 
there  under  the  advice  of  President  Harper  of  the  Chicago  Uni- 
versity, who  is  also  the  Principal  of  the  Chautauqua  Colleges. 
The  course  is  a  repetition  of  the  one  being  given  at  Indianapolis, 
and  is,  I  understand,  the  first  Extension  course  given  in  Chicago. 
Valuable  college  teaching  has  been  carried  on  for  two  years  by 
a  volunteer  corps  at  Hull  House,  West  Side,  under  the  direction 
of  Misses  Adams  and  Starr,  but  no  University  Extension  courses 
have  been  attempted  in  Chicago  before  this  winter.  Our  Chicago 
course  will  probably  not  pay  its  expenses  in  a  mere  financial 
sense.  Between  ninety-five  and  one  hundred  have  bought  tickets 
for  the  lectures.  Of  these  forty-five  are  taking  the  class  hour 
work,  thirty-eight  of  whom  have  signified  their  readiness  for  the 
quiz  by  handing  in  their  names.  The  ages  of  the  class  range 
from  fourteen  to  sixty,  and  one-third  of  the  class  are  men. 
Much  of  the  interest  of  this  class  attaches  to  its  miscellaneous  char- 
acter. There  are  three  graduates  of  colleges ;  there  is  one  physi- 
cian, one  dentist,  twenty-one  clerks,  ranging  from  three  boys  at 
$3  per  week  to  men  receiving  from  $1200  to  $2400  per  year. 
Of  these  two  have  a  high-school  education,  seventeen  have  a 
grammar-school  education,  and  two  are  reported  "fairly  well 
read."  There  are  five  women  clerks,  one  with  a, high-school  edu- 
cation, the  other  four  with  grammar-school  training.  There  are 
seventeen  public  school  teachers,  who  have  attained  the  grade  of 
the  ordinary  normal  school,  some  of  whom  are  graduates  of  such 
schools.  Five  are  classed  as  school  girls,  the  youngest  of  whom 
is  still  in  a  grammar  grade,  the  others  in  the  high  school.  There 
are  twenty-three  wage-earners,  comprising  bricklayers,  stone- 
masons, car-drivers,  conductors,  painters,  carpenters,  unskilled 
laborers,  all  with  grammar  school  education  or  less. 

This  Chicago  course  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  Workers' 
Church,  3037  Butler  Street,  Dr.  Doremus  Scudder,  pastor,  a 
church  which  may  be  said  to  be  established  on  very  broad 
philanthropic  and  educational  lines, — the  outcome  of  the  mis- 
sionary efforts  of  Plymouth  Church,  in  that  city.  The  Workers' 


Some  Extension  Experiments  in  American  History.    127 

Church  has  been  described  as  "  independent,  undenominational, 
non-sectarian,  and  creedless,  with  a  Christian  aim."  The  church 
is  located  in  the  centre  of  a  population  of  ninety  thousand  labor- 
ers and  their  families.  The  region  seems  to  be  one  in  which  it 
is  yet  to  be  proved  whether  there  is  a  sufficient  popular  demand 
for  the  extension  of  university  and  college  study,  or  whether  real 
university  work  can  be  sustained  by  a  local  constituency.  But  it 
is  already  evident,  although  so  far  only  three  lectures  have  been 
given  on  alternate  Thursday  nights,  that  much  benefit  may 
be  derived  in  public  education  in  such  centres  from  such  courses. 
The  spread  of  intelligence,  the  cultivation  of  a  taste  for  better 
reading,  inciting  young  people  to  the  further  pursuance  of  their 
studies,  giving  direction  to  those  who  desire  to  read,  and  who 
thus  may  be  helped  to  avoid  idle  and  desultory  reading  without 
a  purpose, — these  and  other  considerations  are  great  compensa- 
tions for  the  expense,  if  those  would  pay  for  the  cost  of  the 
course  who  could  well  afford  to  provide  voluntarily  a  foundation 
for  Extension  enterprises.  But  if  it  be  found,  as  I  think  very 
probable,  that  the  Extension  course,  upon  a  second  experiment, 
may  be  found  self-supporting  by  the  constituency  in  such  a  centre, 
it  is  certain  that  they  may  be  so  in  scores  of  other  centres  now 
about  to  open  in  that  great  city. 

The  fact  that  such  a  constituency  is  demanding  such  instruc- 
tion and  is  asking  to  be  directed  in  such  study,  leads  us  to  re- 
flect upon  the  eager  thirst  for  higher  knowledge  among  scores 
and,  I  think  I  may  say,  hundreds  and  thousands  of  men  and 
women  who  are  by  necessity  denied  the  opportunities  and  privi- 
leges of  higher  studies. 

The  Chicago  course  of  twelve  lectures  will  cost  altogether  only 
about  $250.  More  than  $200  will  be  covered  by  those  subscrib- 
ing to  the  course.  It  has  been  to  me  a  source  of  much  encourage- 
ment— and  such  experiences  will  give  all  true  university  men  a  sense 
of  responsibility  to  become  helpers  and  missionaries  of  learning  to 
their  fellows — to  see  the  anxiety  and  self-sacrifice  at  personal 
inconvenience,  displayed  by  men  and  women,  some  of  them  in 
straitened  circumstances,  in  their  efforts  to  obtain  University  in- 
struction. In  this  connection  the  words  of  Dr.  Scudder  written 


128     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

to  me  a  few  days  ago  are  significant.  He  says,  "If  to  our  ex- 
penses there  were  required  to  be  added  hall  rent  and  other  ordi- 
nary expenses  which  we  have  escaped,  I  fear  University  Exten- 
sion would  prove  too  expensive  a  luxury  for  laboring  men  in 
Chicago." 

We  all  understand  that  University  instruction  has  never  any- 
where in  all  its  history  paid  its  own  way,  and,  of  course,  it  is  not 
thought  that  these  centres  can  in  any  sense  compensate  the  lec- 
turers for  their  services.  The  lecturers  have  to  be  supported  and 
paid  as  they  are  supported  for  all  students  now  resident  in  our 
universities,  not  by  fees  but  by  foundations,  in  other  ways  pro- 
vided. If  this  cannot  be  done  in  Extension  centres  among  a 
laboring  population,  it  does  not  argue  that  provision  should  be 
withheld  till  a  better  standard  of  support  is  attained  by  these 
centres,  but  that  provision  should  be  increased,  especially  in  view 
of  the  evidence  already  accumulated  of  the  ability  and  willing- 
ness, yea,  even  the  eagerness,  of  these  centres  to  profit  by  their 
opportunities. 

There  is  one  other  phase  of  experience  which  may  be  worth 
mentioning. 

The  movement  for  the  Extension  of  University  teaching  is 
many-sided.  However  uncertain  some  of  its  phases  may  appear 
.from  the  reports  of  various  centres  (although  I  think  our  Ameri- 
can experiments  point  to  ultimate  and  early  success  in  complete 
university  courses),  yet  there  is  one  phase  in  this  educational  move- 
ment of  which  no  doubt  need  be  expressed.  In  education  from 
the  public  platform,  the  lecture  for  instruction,  if  it  does  not 
supersede,  will  find  a  co-ordinate  place  by  the  lecture  for  enter- 
tainment; the  course  of  lectures  on  connected  themes,  to  be 
followed  as  one  follows  a  course  of  selected  reading,  is  to  super- 
sede the  kaleidoscopic  and  pyrotechnic  character  of  the  miscel- 
laneous courses  of  the  Lyceum  bureau,  however  valuable  in  a 
public  way  many  of  the  Lyceum  lectures  may  be.  This  improve- 
ment in  public  education  is  one  of  the  results  and  characteristic 
features  of  University  Extension.  My  experience  convinces  me 
that  at  least  this  feature  of  the  movement  can  reach  great  masses 
of  people  for  their  instruction  and  inspiration.  The  quiz  class 


Some  Extension  Experiments  in  American  History.    1 29 

with  readings  assigned  and  tasks  performed  may  be  important 
parts  of  university  discipline ;  but  university  instruction  may  be 
given  without  these,  though  it  may  not  be  recognized  as  complete 
Extension  work ;  for,  after  all,  the  lecture  must  form  the  backbone 
of  the  instruction.  A  good  course  with  the  substance  of  the  uni- 
versity class-room,  with  the  manner  of  presentation  cleverly  modi- 
fied for  popular  uses,  the  course  thoroughly  studied  by  the  lec- 
turer, well  prepared  and  well  delivered,  cannot  fail  to  be  of  great 
educational  benefit. 

For  the  series  of  lectures  on  connected  themes,  with  quiz,  con- 
ference, and  examination,  but  without  concurrent  reading  and 
study, — for  these  features  of  the  work  the  Chautauqua  Assemblies 
in  the  summer  stand,  to  my  mind,  as  offering  the  best  opportunity 
in  America.  These  centres  throughout  the  States,  even  the  great 
centre  of  the  Lake  itself,  are  without  adequate  library  facilities, 
and,  of  course,  because  of  this,  and  because  of  the  brief  time 
spent  in  these  resorts,  students  could  do  but  little  in  the  way 
of  supplementary  reading  and  study.  But  from  observation  of 
courses  given  at  Chautauqua  last  summer  by  Dr.  H.  B.  Adams, 
of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  and  Dr.  Francis  N.  Thorpe,  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  of  a  course  which  I  attempted 
myself,  on  all  of  which  competitive  examinations  were  held 
and  quizes  and  conferences  might  have  been  held, — from  this 
observation  I  feel  justified  in  asserting  without  reservation  that 
Chautauqua  offers  to  this  method  of  instruction  by  university 
lectures  the  widest  and  most  profitable  field  of  application.  Thus, 
the  forces  which  may  create  and  control  thousands  of  centres 
throughout  the  country  may  be,  within  a  brief  season,  touched 
to  vigorous  life  and  endeavor,  not  to  mention  the  benefits  imme- 
diately derived  from  such  courses  in  several  weeks'  residence  at 
these  summer  centres. 


HISTORY  AS   AN  EXTENSION  STUDY. 

BY    PROF.    WILFRED    H.    MUNRO, 
Brown    University. 

MR.  PRESIDENT, — When  I  received  your  very  courteous  note 
inviting  me  to  present  an  essay  on  some  phase  of  University 
Extension  work  to  this  conference,  I  had  before  me  on  my  desk 
such  a  huge  pile  of  examination  papers  from  my  history  class  in 
Brown  University  as  made  the  preparation  of  a  paper  quite 
impossible  in  the  limited  time  at  my  disposal. 

I  am  glad,  however,  that  I  have  the  opportunity  to  say  a  few 
words  to  this  audience  respecting  "  History  as  an  Extension 
Study," — first,  because  I  am  myself  a  teacher  of  history,  and, 
second,  because  I  can  say  a  few  words  about  one  of  my  prede- 
cessors in  the  historical  faculty  of  Brown  University  who  was 
really  the  pioneer  worker  in  the  University  Extension  field  in 
the  United  States. 

More  than  twenty  years  ago  that  peerless  teacher  of  history, 
Professor  J.  L.  Diman,  who — as  every  graduate  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity (and  I  see  many  alumni  of  Brown  in  this  audience)  will 
testify,  and  as  every  graduate  of  Johns  Hopkins  University  who 
heard  him  in  Baltimore  deliver  that  matchless  course  of  lectures 
upon  the  "Thirty  Years'  War"  will  testify — filled  the  chair  of 
history  in  Brown  University  more  fully  and  more  completely 
than  any  historical  chair  in  America  ever  was  filled  before — was 
doing  in  America,  outside  the  walls  of  Brown,  exactly  the  kind 
of  work  that  James  Stuart  was  doing  in  England.  He  was 
giving  daily  instruction  in  history  to  the  senior  class  in  Brown 
University.  He  was  lecturing  weekly  to  an  association  of  ladies 
in  Providence.  He  was  delivering  each  year  courses  of  lectures 
on  constitutional  history  before  the  pupils  of  the  Rhode  Island 
State  Normal  School.  He  was  also  delivering  successive  courses 
of  lectures  to  the  students  of  Johns  Hopkins  University  and 
130 


History  as  an  Extension  Study.  131 

of  other  universities.  He  was  delighting  the  people  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Massachusetts  by  his  graceful  addresses  on  historical 
subjects  of  local  interest  in  many  towns  and  cities  of  those  two 
States.  More  than  this, — he  was  writing  daily  for  the  Providence 
Journal  those  masterly  leading  articles  which  gave  to  that  paper 
a  reputation  that  was  national.  As  James  Stuart  has  earned  the 
title  of  "Father  of  University  Extension"  in  England,  so  ought 
Jeremiah  Lewis  Diman  to  be  called  the  Father  of  University 
Extension  in  America. 

It  is  pleasing,  also,  to  be  able  to  tell  something  which  shows 
the  appreciation  in  which  his  Extension  lectures  were  held. 

When  Professor  Diman  was  stricken  down  in  the  very  zenith 
of  his  powers  and  the  hearts  of  all  Brown  men  were  throbbing 
with  the  bitter  sense  of  their  loss,  it  was  proposed  to  raise  for 
the  college  a  "Diman  Fund,"  which  should  commemorate  his 
name.  The  income  from  this  fund  was  to  be  used  for  the  pur- 
chase of  historical  works  for  the  University  library.  But  it  is 
easier  to  plan  than  to  accomplish.  After  the  first  few  months, 
interest  in  the  project  languished  and  finally  died.  Last  year, 
however,  it  occurred  to  my  colleague,  Professor  Jameson,  that 
the  ladies  to  whom  Professor  Diman  had  given  these  Extension 
lectures  had  never  been  asked  to  contribute  toward  this  fund. 
They  were  asked.  They  contributed.  What  the  alumni  in  ten 
years  had  failed  to  do  this  Extension  class  of  ladies  accomplished 
in  less  than  six  months.  The  "  Diman  Fund  "  now  enables  our 
librarian  to  place  each  year  upon  his  shelves  all  the  best  new 
books  upon  mediaeval  and  modern  history. 

So  much  must  be  said  of  the  work  done  by  the  pioneer  Uni- 
versity Extension  lecturer  in  the  United  States, — so  much  for 
the  estimation  in  which  his  labors  were  held  by  Extension  classes 
which  he  taught. 

It  seems  to  me,  Mr.  President,  that  we  must  have  a  scheme 
of  work  very  carefully  planned  before  we  send  our  historical 
lecturers  into  the  Extension  field.  It  is  most  important  that  the 
work  done  should  be  uniform,  in  order  that  the  Extension  cer- 
tificates may  have  value  everywhere.  This  is,  of  course,  true 
of  all  Extension  work,  but  it  is  specially  true  of  historical  work. 


132     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

The  subject  is  too  large  to  be  handled  in  a  satisfactory  way  by 
any  one  man,  or  by  any  one  association.  It  should,  I  think,  be 
placed  in  charge  of  a  general  executive  committee,  and  that 
committee  should  recommend  to  all  the  Extension  associations 
the  work  to  be  done  by  their  lecturers.  It  is  not  for  the  welfare 
of  the  cause  that  every  lecturer  should  be  allowed  to  hurl  any 
set  of  lectures  he  may  happen  to  have  ready  at  the  heads  of  his 
audience.  Regard  should  be  had  for  the  attainments  of  his 
hearers.  The  specialist  should  not  be  allowed  to  get  in  his  work 
until  good,  broad  foundations  of  general  knowledge  have  been  laid. 
Here  I  must  say  that  I  do  not  place  the  same  value  upon 
the  syllabus  that  most  people  set  upon  it.  In  many  cases  it 
hampers  the  lecturer  instead  of  helping  him.  It  is  a  most 
powerful  weapon  in  the  hands  of  a  skilled  teacher  who  knows 
his  audience,  but  it  is  not  always  a  good  thing  for  inexperienced 
lecturers.  It  was  first  adopted  as  a  lesson  in  note-taking  (Eng- 
lish audiences,  as  a  rule,  are  not  so  much  accustomed  to  note- 
taking  as  American  audiences  are),  and  it  was  not  meant  to 
take  the  place  of  note-taking.  Moreover,  it  is  not  well  at  the 
beginning  of  our  Extension  work  to  have  a  Procrustean  bed  on 
which  to  stretch  our  audiences.  It  is  better  to  have  only  a 
general  plan  outlined,  and  to  leave  the  lecturer  to  fill  out  that 
plan  according  to  the  needs  of  his  audience.  What  is  one  man's 
meat  may  be  another  man's  poison.  One  of  our  lecturers  last 
year  was  forced  to  throw  away  one  set  of  lectures  because  he 
found  that  he  was  shooting  over  the  heads  of  nine -tenths  of  his 
audience.  If  he  had  already  sold  a  copy  of  his  syllabus  to 
each  one  of  his  class,  every  member  of  that  class  would  have 
deemed  himself  swindled  if  the  lecturer  had  not  kept  to  his 
lines.  But  if  the  instructor  had  used  his  original  notes  the 
whole  course  would  have  been  a  failure.  He  changed  his 
lectures  to  suit  his  hearers,  and  a  most  brilliant  success  was  the 
result.  Thus  far  we  of  Brown  have  printed  no  syllabus,  and  we 
shall  not  print  any  until  the  trial  of  a  year  has  shown  us  how  we 
can  do  the  best  work.  (The]syllabus  is  not  necessary  as  a  test 
of  the  lecturer's  knowledge,  because  we  know  what  kind  of 
work  each  member  of  our  faculty  is  capable  of  doing.  We 


History  as  an  Extension  Study.  133 

use  no  untried  men.)  In  any  case  our  syllabus  will  be  a  brief 
one,  and  we  shall  insist  upon  much  note-taking.  I  much  prefer 
in  my  own  classes  to  dictate  the  heads  only  of  a  lecture,  leaving 
the  members  of  my  audience  to  do  all  the  filling-in  for  them- 
selves. It  seems  to  me  that  the  other  system  encourages  laziness, 
and  is  too  much  like  text-book  work.  The  most  valuable  part  of 
a  printed  syllabus  is  the  "bibliography."  We  always  furnish 
full  bibliographies. 

Now,  of  what  shall  the  first  historical  lectures  treat  ? 
Plainly  of  those  subjects  which  form  the  basis  of  all  historical 
knowledge.     Of  those  subjects  which  scholars  everywhere — in 
Germany,  England,  France,  as  well  as  in  America — prescribe  as 
the  groundwork  of  historical  study. 

For  a  first  course  of  twelve  lectures  I  should  say  take  some  such 
course  as  this,  covering  the  period  from  the  Fall  of  Rome  to  the 
Reformation, — that  is  to  say,  a  course  on  Mediaeval  History  : 
I.  The  dissolution  of  Rome. 

(A  general  discussion  of  the   beginnings  of   mediaeval 

history.) 
II.  The  Barbarian  Invaders  of  Italy. 

(The  Visigoths,   Huns,  Vandals,  Ostrogoths,  and  Lom- 
bards.) 

III.  The  Germanic  Element  in  European  Civilization. 

IV.  The  Early  Christian  Church. 
V.  Charlemagne. 

VI.  Hildebrand  and  his  Times. 

(The  Contest  between  the  Papacy  and  the  Empire.) 

VII.  and  VIII.  The  Feudal  System. 
IX.  and  X.  The  Crusades. 

XI.  The  History  of  the  Great  Monastic  Orders. 
XII.  The  Rise  of  the  New  Nations. 

A  second  course,  equally  broad  in  its  scope,   might  give  the 
groundwork  of  modern  history  : 

I.  The  Beginnings  of  Modern  History. 

II.  Plans  of  Reform  within  the  Church. 

III.  The  Renaissance— the  New  Birth  of  the  World. 

IV.  The  Protestant  Revolution. 


1 34     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

V.  The  Catholic  Reaction. 

VI.  The  Age  of  Elizabeth  (England,  1558-1603). 
VII.  The  Civil  Wars  in  France  (Charles  IX — Nantes,  1562- 

1598)- 

VIII.  The  Policy  of  Richelieu  (France,  1624-1642). 
IX.  Revolt  of  the  Netherlands  (1568-1648). 
X.  The  Thirty  Years  War  (Germany,  1618-1648). 
XI.  The  Rise  of  Puritanism  (England  under  the  Stuarts). 
XII.  The  English  Revolution  of  1688. 

Then,  the  broad  foundations  having  been  carefully  laid,  such 
courses  may  be  built  upon  them  as  the  classes  may  call  for. 
The  fact,  however,  must  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  audi- 
ences are  not  made  up  of  specialists,  and  that,  consequently,  the 
carefully  minute  treatment  which  may  well  be  employed  before 
a  class  of  university  students  must  not  be  used  in  lecturing  to  an 
Extension  audience.  The  aim  of  this  whole  movement  is  not  to 
cultivate  specialists,  but  to  diffuse  general  knowledge. 


REMARKS. 


President  Fell,  of  St.  John's  College,  Annapolis,  Md.,  said  : 
I  have  been  in  particular  interested  by  the  opening  remarks  of 
Professor  Munro,  in  which  he  stated  as  his  opinion  that  it  was 
necessary  to  secure  uniformity  of  action  among  all  institutions 
which  might  embark  in  the  work  of  University  Extension.  This 
suggestion  appears  to  me  to  be  one  of  great  weight.  We  have 
heard  from  Mr.  Sadler  of  the  amount  of  labor  and  thought  be- 
stowed by  the  University  of  Oxford  upon  the  preparation  of  a 
syllabus  or  of  a  course  of  lectures  which  would  be  deemed  at- 
tractive to  the  public.  Now,  outside  the  great  centres  of  Phila- 
delphia, Boston,  and  New  York,  there  are  a  great  number  of 
Southern  and  Western  institutions  willing  to  take  part  in  this 
movement,  but  which  hesitate  to  do  so,  as  they  feel  the  need  of 
a  directing  head.  Is  it  assumed  that  such  an  institution  must 
work  out  its  own  plans  and  its  own  methods,  or  should  it  not 
rather  be  guided  by  the  direction  of  the  American  Society  ? 


THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  CLASS. 

BY   EDWARD   T.    DEVINE,    M.A,, 
Staff  Lecturer  of  the  American  Society. 

IN  the  theory  of  University  Extension  the  class  holds  a  pre- 
eminent place.  In  the  practice  of  University  Extension  it  is  for 
the  most  part  a  failure.  Let  us  assume  that  the  lecture  has  been 
an  entire  success, — that  it  has  attracted  an  audience,  that  it  has 
exhibited  literary  finish,  command  of  the  material,  skill  in  pre- 
sentation, adaptation  to  the  audience, — whatever  other  excel- 
lences you  please,  that  when  the  hour  for  the  class  has  arrived, 
the  lecturer  finds  himself  in  a  position  to  answer  correctly,  even 
brilliantly,  all  the  questions  asked,  and  that  the  invitation  to  ask 
questions  meets  with  actual  response.  It  will  be  objected  that  I 
am  assuming  too  much.  What  anxiety  is  removed  from  the 
breast  of  the  young  lecturer  if  even  most  of  these  favorable  con- 
ditions are  found  to  be  present  at  the  crucial  hour  !  These  are 
the  very  ends,  it  will  be  said,  to  be  attained.  But  I  have  thought 
that  we  can  best  get  at  the  heart  of  the  matter  by  assuming  these 
favorable  conditions  and  then  putting  the  question  as  to  why  it 
is  that  even  then  the  class  fails  for  the  most  part  to  satisfy  the 
teacher,  as  distinguished  from  the  lecturer,  from  the  born  de- 
bater, and  from  the  scientific  specialist. 

In  the  first  place  the  student  is  never  heard  from  in  class.  The 
woman  or  man,  young  or  old,  who  readily  enrolls  in  the  un- 
written list  of  real  students,  who  grasps  at  the  chance  of  doing 
the  weekly  exercises,  searches  the  returned  paper  anxiously  for  the 
word  of  approval,  or  the  criticism  which  shows,  however  kindly, 
that  the  answer  is  wrong,  who  ventures  to  express  independent 
opinions  only  under  cover  of  a  nom-de-plume — this  is  not  the  one 
who  is  heard  from  in  the  class  discussion.  It  requires  greater  cour- 
age to  participate  in  the  class  discussion  as  a  student,  as  a  ques- 
tioner, than  to  conduct  that  discussion  as  a  regular  lecturer.  I  can- 


1 36     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

not  take  time  to  set  up  any  theory  to  account  for  this  somewhat 
anomalous  fact,  but  that  there  is  this  hesitation,  more  than  that, 
this  refusal  to  give  expression  to  private  opinion,  and  to  ask  for 
explanation  is  a  psychological  fact  with  which  we  must  reckon, 
and  which  deserves  more  attention  in  our  scheme  than  we  have 
hitherto  accorded  it.  For,  under  these  circumstances,  it  is  the 
experienced  speaker,  the  professional  talker,  if  there  is  one,  who 
monopolizes  the  time  which  should  belong  to  students.  The 
school-teacher,  particularly  the  school  principal,  the  preacher, 
the  lawyer,  the  labor  agitator,  any  one  but  the  student  talks.  Do 
not  understand  me  to  say  that  the  student  is  never  found  in  the 
ranks  of  the  professions  referred  to,  but  it  will  be  admitted  that 
they  seldom  furnish  the  student  class  in  our  common  and  per- 
fectly legitimate  sense  of  the  term.  The  argument  which  he 
whom  I  call  the  professional  talker  makes  in  reply  to  objection- 
able passages  in  the  lecture  may  take  the  form  of  rhetorical 
questions,  or  a  prolonged  formal  controversy  may  arise,  the  re- 
sults are  the  same ;  the  interests  of  the  students  are  sacrificed,  or 
rather  students  are  not  made  to  know  that  they  have  interests ; 
in  fact,  they  remain  an  undiscovered  element. 

I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  the  discussions  as  now  actually 
held,  the  questions  actually  asked  and  answered,  so  far  from  con- 
stituting genuine  class  work,  are  an  obstacle  to  it,  simply  render 
it  impossible.  The  very  size  of  the  class  is  a  chief  cause  of  this 
difficulty.  As  University  Extension  is  now  organizing — practically 
without  local  endowment — no  audience  can  consist  of  less  than 
about  two  hundred  persons,  and  it  will  generally  be  larger.  If 
the  course  is  regarded  as  a  success  by  the  members  of  the  centre, 
most  of  them  will  stay  for  the  second  hour's  work,  if  for  no  better 
reason,  because  they  have  paid  as  much  as  others,  and  wish  to 
come  as  near  getting  their  money's  worth  as  they  can.  Nor- 
mally, therefore,  the  class  will  consist  of  a  hundred  students  and 
upward.  No  human  being  can  teach  at  once  a  hundred  persons. 
In  the  universities  themselves,  the  overflowing  lecture-rooms 
have  made  it  necessary  for  us  to  adopt  the  German  seminar 
system  for  that  part  of  the  professor's  work  which  he  is  willing 
to  call  his  real  teaching,  as  distinguished  from  his  knowledge- 


The  University  Extension  Class.  137 

imparting  lecture  or  his  examination  quiz.  The  Sunday-school 
teacher  wisely  limits  his  class  to  ten  or  fifteen  pupils ;  even  the 
Great  Teacher,  a  reference  to  whose  example  makes  further  argu- 
ment or  illustration  unnecessary,  found  that  while  He  could  in- 
struct a  multitude  by  parables  and  other  features  of  the  lecture 
system,  He  could  really  teach  but  twelve. 

This  is  not  of  itself  an  argument  for  abandoning  that  which  we 
call  a  class,  but  it  is  an  argument  for  abandoning  the  delusion 
that  it  is  a  class,  or  a  seminary,  of  which  the  chief  aim  is  to 
benefit  those  who  wish  to  know  more  and  to  get  clearer  ideas. 
There  are  some  advantages  in  the  present  system,  considering  it 
simply  as  an  appendix  to  the  lecture,  as  an  extension  of  the 
evening's  entertainment.  It  is  probable  that  many  a  one  who 
does  speak,  voices  the  question  which  has  suggested  itself  to 
many  others,  and  that  the  answer  will  be  awaited  as  eagerly  by  a 
dozen  or  by  all  as  by  him  who  puts  the  question.  Sometimes  a 
much-needed  correction  is  made  by  some  one  in  the  class  who  is 
really  in  position  to  know  that  a  statement  made  by  the  lecturer 
is  incomplete  or  incorrect,  and  again  a  question  reveals  to  the 
lecturer  that  he  has  inadvertently  omitted  a  necessary  qualifica- 
tion, which  he  had  himself  intended  to  introduce,  and  the 
omission  of  which  leaves  on  the  audience  an  entirely  false  im- 
pression of  the  lecturer's  position.  Then,  finally,  the  criticism  of 
a  student  frequently  supplies  just  the  stimulus  needed  to  enable 
the  lecturer  to  send  a  more  telling  shot  to  the  centre  of  truth,  to 
make  doubly  clear  a  position  in  which  the  lecturer  was  entirely 
correct,  but  which  had  been  somewhat  obscurely  presented.  It 
is,  of  course,  true  that  the  lecturer  will  find  in  the  weekly  ex- 
ercises material  for  a  certain  amount  of  valuable  class  criticism, 
and  that  the  timid  student  will  sometimes  add  to  a  paper  a  query 
which  can  be  answered  in  class,  but  this  could  all  be  done  far 
better  if  the  obstacles  to  which  reference  has  been  made  were 
absent. 

Two  ways  out  of  the  difficulty  present  themselves.  One  is  to 
say  frankly  at  the  close  of  the  lecture  hour  that  the  entertainment 
is  now  over  and  that  some  business  is  about  to  begin  in  which 
most  of  them  will  not  be  interested.  I  am  not  sure  that  the  class 


138     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

should  necessarily  be  restricted  absolutely  to  those  who  do  the 
weekly  exercises,  though  I  fail  to  find  any  impropriety  even  in  a 
measure  so  drastic  as  that.  It  would  certainly  be  an  effective 
winnowing-fan  even  if  the  minimum  of  work  required  were  made 
so  light  that  the  preparation  of  the  paper  would  consume  no  more 
time  than  the  composition  of  an  ordinary  letter.  If  this  change 
were  made,  some  of  the  attractions  inhering  in  the  ordinary  class 
would  of  course  be  sacrificed.  Those  brilliant  tilts  between 
skilled  questioners  and  speakers,  the  interesting  general  discussion 
in  which  a  half  dozen  or  more  are  anxious  to  participate  at  once, 
those  gratifying  outward  evidences  that  the  course  is  making  an 
impression  in  the  community  would  be  gone.  If  we  must  choose 
between  them  and  the  opportunity  for  accomplishing  with  a 
handful  of  students  an  educational  result  far  greater,  our  choice 
must  certainly  be  against  the  popular  class.  It  cannot  be  too 
strongly  insisted  upon  that  some  one  feature  of  the  Extension 
system  must  be  for  this  nucleus  of  students  to  which  Mr.  Sadler 
has  just  referred.  In  some  exceptional  cases  the  Students'  Asso- 
ciation, meeting  on  another  evening  of  the  week,  supplies  this 
need  j  where  it  does,  no  objection  against  the  present  organization 
of  the  class  will  lie.  But  the  necessary  absence  of  the  lecturer 
from  the  meetings  of  the  Association  and  the  difficulty  of  finding 
a  leader  who  can  do  the  particular  work  which  the  lecturer  knows 
ought  to  be  done,  are  objections  too  serious  to  be  disregarded. 

Better  perhaps  than  the  plans  suggested  is  that  of  holding  at  a 
different  hour  a  conference  especially  intended  for  the  students 
who  have  sent  in  written  exercises.  It  could  be  done  either  en- 
tirely informally,  each  one  who  had  sent  in  a  paper  calling  at 
the  lecturer's  rooms  or  at  some  appointed  place,  looking  over  the 
paper  to  note  corrections  in  the  presence  of  the  lecturer,  asking 
questions,  and  holding  a  short  personal  interview  with  the  lec- 
turer, or  a  regular  hour  could  be  appointed  when  all  those  who 
had  sent  papers  could  meet  for  a  short  seminar  discussion.  The 
lecturer  would  call  their  attention  to  points  of  common  interest 
and  could  put  some  questions  to  each  member  of  what  would 
then  be  in  reality  a  class.  Certainly  much  greater  progress  could 
be  made  if  this  plan  were  adopted.  It  will  be  replied  that  it  will 


The  University  Extension  Class.  1 39 

be  better  for  the  few  but  not  so  good  for  the  centre  as  a  whole. 
But  I  maintain  that  the  gain  to  the  class  under  these  circum- 
stances would  not  be  offset  by  any  loss  in  the  general  economy. 
We  must  work  through  the  few  in  any  community.  When  we 
wish  to  get  a  great  furnace  of  coal  on  fire  we  do  not  apply  a 
lighted  match  immediately  to  the  large  masses  of  coal.  We  light 
first  the  shavings  and  the  kindling  wood  and  let  the  fire  grow 
naturally.  And  note  that  I  am  not  advocating  a  measure  which 
will  benefit  a  particular  set.  The  members  of  the  conference,  or 
class,  would  not  be  selected  by  others,  but  the  class  would  be  the 
outcome  of  a  very  natural  self-selection,  or  would  embrace  all 
who  chose  to  become  students. 

The  real  difficulties  are  two  in  number,  i.  The  fixing  of  an 
hour  for  the  conference  which  will  make  it  possible  for  the  stu- 
dents to  attend,  and  which  will  not  interfere  with  the  lecturer's 
preparation  for  the  evening's  work.  While  the  half-hour  imme- 
diately preceding  the  lecture  is  in  many  respects  an  ideal  time 
for  a  conference  of  the  kind  under  discussion,  it  would,  if  held  at 
that  time,  leave  the  lecturer  in  a  less  satisfactory  condition  for 
his  lecture ;  and  if  held  at  another  hour  it  might  become  too 
great  an  additional  tax  on  the  student's  time.  It  might  tend  to 
discourage  some  from  undertaking  the  exercises  at  all  if  it  were 
expected  that  they  must  attend  an  additional  meeting. 

2.  It  might  add  eventually  to  the  cost  of  Extension  teaching 
if  the  lecturer  were  to  undertake  this  additional  work,  though  I 
consider  that  doubtful,  at  least  in  the  case  of  staff  lecturers.  The 
latter  are  in  position  to  do  certain  things  of  this  kind,  which,  if 
we  would  maintain  our  standard,  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  do. 
In  short,  I  do  not  believe  that  the  difficulties  to  a  higher  grade 
of  class  work  are  insuperable.  We  must  choose,  I  take  it,  between 
changing  our  class  into  a  smaller  body  of  students  properly  so 
termed,  and  adding  the  special  conference  for  students,  either  of 
which  plans  would  work  beneficial  results.  The  latter  plan  has 
the  special  advantage  that  it  would  enable  us  to  retain  the  so- 
called  class  of  the  present  organization  with  all  its  advantages. 

I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  in  this  short  paper  to  dwell  ex- 
clusively on  the  necessity  of  doing  in  Extension  teaching  that 


140     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

work  for  which  as  distinguished  from  the  lecturing  the  class  itself 
stands.  We  should  probably  all  agree  that  the  lecturer  who 
spends  but  one  hour  in  the  lecture-room,  and  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, however  valuable  and  interesting  his  lecture  may  have  been, 
has  not  done  his  full  duty  by  the  centre  with  which  he  has  made 
his  engagement.  In  view  of  the  general  announcement,  by  Ex- 
tension societies,  of  the  class  as  an  essential  feature  of  the  Exten- 
sion method,  it  is  doubtful  if  a  committee  is  justified  in  making 
an  engagement  with  any  lecturer  who  is  too  busy  to  undertake 
the  class  work,  without  providing  that  it  shall  be  done  by  some 
one  who  shall  act  as  the  lecturer's  deputy.  There  may  be  special 
reasons  for  engaging  a  lecturer  whose  time  is  thus  in  demand,  but 
there  can  scarcely  be  a  justification  for  sacrificing  this  feature 
which  we  hold  up  as  the  most  valuable  for  the  sake  of  getting  a 
brilliant  series  of  lectures,  which  we  have  repeatedly  in  circulars 
and  from  the  platform  declared  to  be  no  essential  feature  of  our 
system. 

The  class  is  valuable  because  it  gives  the  best  opportunity  for 
that  personal  contact  without  which  there  can  be  no  teaching; 
because  it  reveals  the  teacher,  and  reveals  the  student,  and  strips 
the  mask  from  the  pretender  in  either  position.  Every  tendency 
away  from  this  strict  Extension  ideal  of  class  organization  should 
be  checked, — every  change  which  brings  us  nearer  its  realization 
should  be  welcomed.  It  will  be  objected,  perhaps,  that  I  have 
been  discussing  the  form  rather  than  the  substance  of  this  matter. 
It  is,  of  course,  the  kernel,  not  the  shell  we  are  after,  but  Univer- 
sity Extension,  if  it  is  anything,  is  a  mechanism  for  accomplish- 
ing certain  ends.  Here,  as  in  the  case  of  a  wagon-wheel,  very 
much  depends  upon  the  form.  I  have  suggested  some  changes 
in  form  which  merit  at  least  discussion  and  experiment.  If  a 
profession  of  faith  on  the  main  question  is  needed,  I  willingly 
subscribe  myself  again  a  firm  believer  in  the  Extension  class,  as 
the  most  important  discovery  of  the  age,  in  the  line  of  popular 
education,  as  a  discovery  too  valuable  and  a  weapon  too  efficient 
for  us  to  allow  it  to  become  anything  else  than  it  was  meant  to 
be,  a  bringing  together  of  students  and  teacher. 


Remarks.  141 

REMARKS. 


Rev.  Benjamin  J.  Douglas,  of  Philadelphia,  said : 

With  the  aim  of  the  writer  to  give  the  class  its  proper 
place  and  function  in  University  Extension  methods,  I  am  in 
hearty  sympathy.  With  his  resolute  determination  not  to  allow 
sham  work  to  pass  as  real,  but  to  insist  upon  the  written  exercise 
and  the  examination  as  well  as  the  lecture  and  the  class  I  fully 
sympathize.  The  object  of  the  writer  is  no  doubt  to  get  at 
greater  thoroughness  in  class-work,  and  this  is  a  point  constantly 
to  be  kept  in  view,  and  one  which,  if  I  am  correctly  informed, 
the  experience  of  each  successive  course  of  study  at  the  local 
centres  is  gradually  accomplishing. 

What  brought  me  to  my  feet  was  the  perception  of  what  I 
thought  was  a  too  great  eagerness  to  restrict  the  class  in  the  be- 
ginning only  to  those  who  had  time  to  prepare  the  written  exer- 
cises, and  this  in  view  of  the  statement  that  those  who  did  the 
real  work,  those  who  took  the  pains  to  study  and  write  out 
their  thoughts  at  home,  were  not  the  ones  to  ask  questions  in  the 
class.  The  time  devoted  to  class-work  was  for  the  most  part 
monopolized  by  others  than  the  real  students,  by  "professional 
talkers' '  and  the  like.  I  put  in  a  word  by  way  of  apology  for 
these  "professional  talkers,"  in  view  of  the  patent  fact  that  if 
those  who  prepare  the  papers  will  not  ask  questions  in  the  class, 
the  class  becomes  a  useless  appendage.  If  those  who  do  the 
same  work  in  paper  exercises  will  not  do  their  part  in  the  class, 
what  is  the  use  of  the  class? 

Right  here  comes  in  the  need  of  this  outside  help,  not  to  super- 
sede, but  to  start  the  discussion.  The  farmer,  when  he  wants  to 
start  his  fire,  goes  to  his  wood-pile  and  collects  all  kinds  of  chips. 
If  the  solid  wood  won't  burn  at  once,  he  gets  light  wood  to  kin- 
dle it.  Or,  to  vary  the  illustration  :  here  is  a  pump  which  will 
not  work  at  once ;  you  pour  in  a  little  water  and  the  stream  is 
started.  I  really  believe  there  are  very  few  who  use  the  class 
simply  as  an  occasion  to  air  their  own  opinions.  In  nine  cases 


142     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

out  of  ten,  people  are  there  to  gain  information,  to  profit  by 
what  they  hear,  and,  if  they  venture  "to  speak  out  in  meeting," 
it  is  generally  after  a  pause  sufficiently  long  to  show  that  their 
superiors  will  not. 

A  class  after  a  University  Extension  lecture  is  not  a  class  in  a 
University  recitation-room.  It  is  an  indiscriminate  crowd, 
composed  of  all  sorts  of  men  and  women,  eager  to  learn,  or 
they  would  not  be  there.  And  what  if  some  one  does  put  an 
irrelevant  question,  or  a  question  which  only  displays  his  or  her 
ignorance  or  crankiness?  It  is  the  crank  that  starts  the  machin- 
ery of  the  locomotive  and  the  steamship.  Not  much  harm  will 
be  done.  The  individual  who  has  had  the  laugh  turned  against 
him  suffers  most.  For  the  rest,  the  ice  is  broken,  and  the  timid 
encouraged  to  speak  out. 

The  truth  is,  that  a  lecturer,  if  he  is  worth  anything,  has 
things  in  his  own  hands  and  is  backed  by  the  good  sense  and  the 
respect  for  decorum  on  the  part  of  the  class  itself.  As  a  man  of 
affairs,  as  well  as  a  student,  he  is  equal  to  the  occasion  and  can, 
with  a  little  tact,  turn  even  an  unfriendly  criticism  to  good  ac- 
count. Unless  there  is  a  flagrant  breach  of  order  or  an  utter 
want  of  respect  for  the  ordinary  proprieties  of  social  intercourse, 
we  would  have  the  greatest  freedom  of  discussion, — at  least  to 
start  with.  Professional  talkers,  as  a  profession,  scarcely  exist, 
but  professional  men  occasionally  do  a  little  talking  by  way  of 
help,  and  often  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  information  on 
points  on  which  they  are  a  little  rusty,  or  a  little  behind  the  age. 
They  wish,  if  it  is  possible,  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times,  to  keep 
in  touch  with  the  best  thought  of  the  age.  And  hence  you  will 
find  them  sitting  in  the  place  of  the  learners,  especially  when 
they  have  "  one  who  knows"  to  expound  a  subject. 

Now,  I  contend  that  the  most  of  these  have  not  the  time  to 
prepare  the  written  exercises.  Their  time  is  taken  up,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  with  their  professional  duties.  Still,  like  the  old  war- 
horse,  they  scent  the  battle  from  afar,  and  love  to  take  a  hand  in 
the  pursuits  which  once  engaged  their  youthful  energies.  They 
are,  for  the  most  part,  liberally  educated  :  some  are  specialists  in 
certain  branches,  and  some  without  a  liberal  education  are  rec- 


Remarks.  143 

ognized  leaders,  and  worthily  so,  in  certain  movements.  Are 
these  to  be  shut  out? 

I  pointed  out  in  the  course  of  my  remarks,  and  I  cannot  go 
into  further  detail  as  a  proof  of  my  position,  how  much  we  owe 
in  this  Conference,  in  seeking  a  solution  of  the  problems  involved, 
to  the  presence  of  a  distinguished  representative  of  the  labor 
interests  in  this  country,  who  met  with  us  as  a  fellow-citizen  and 
student,  whose  heart  was  aflame  with  sympathy  with  all  that  be- 
longed to  the  uplifting  of  his  fellow-men  in  the  scale  of  social 
and  mental  and  moral  improvement.  We  need  such  in  the  class- 
room, even  if  their  pressing  duties  will  not  allow  them  time  to 
enter  into  the  severe  work  of  preparing  papers. 

But  I  must  close.  I  have  no  manner  of  intention  of  travers- 
ing the  main  drift  of  the  excellent  paper  of  Mr.  Devine.  It  is 
the  standard  towards  which  University  Extension  methods  must 
ever  be  approximating.  But  as  things  actually  are,  I  am  only 
pleading  for  certain  additional  conditions  which  enter  into  the 
account,  as  in  adapting  a  machine  for  actual  use  we  must  some- 
times make  allowance  for  friction  and  other  existing  elements. 

The  Conference  just  closing  has  been  a  wonderful  success.  The 
reports  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  are  in  no  small  degree 
encouraging.  May  the  year  just  opening  and  all  coming  years 
add  to  the  efficiency  of  the  University  Extension  movement. 


UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION   IN   CINCINNATI. 

BY  W.   O.  SPROULL,    PH.D.,    LL.D., 
Professor  of  Latin  and  Arabic  in  the  University  of  Cincinnati. 

THE  Cincinnati  idea  of  University  Extension  is  to  extend  the 
University.  The  first  steps  taken  in  this  direction  were  in  1889, 
when  a  course  of  seven  lectures  was  given  on  Saturday  mornings 
in  the  University  building.  In  1890  three  courses  were  given: 
one  at  the  same  time  and  place,  a  second  in  the  Newport  High 
School,  and  a  third  in  the  Bellevue  High  School,  both  in  the 
evening.  These  lectures  were  a  close  and  careful  treatment 
of  some  subject  in  each  lecturer's  line  of  work.  They  were 
exceedingly  well  attended,  especially  by  teachers. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  last  academic  year,  a  committee  of 
principals  and  teachers  requested  the  faculty  of  the  University 
of  Cincinnati  to  provide  college  courses  of  instruction  on  Satur- 
days. The  faculty  did  not  deem  it  wise  to  undertake  this  offi- 
cially, but  left  the  matter  to  individual  professors. 

Accordingly  the  following  courses  were  offered,  each  to  consist 
of  thirty  lectures  or  recitations : 

"Lectures  on  Experimental  Chemistry,"  by  Professor  Norton ; 
"Mediaeval  and  Modern  History,"  by  Professor  Myers;  **A 
Critical  and  Exegetical  Study  of  Horace,"  by  Professor  Sproull. 

"  Analytics,"  by  Professor  Hyde. 

"Mechanics,"  by  Professor  Baldwin. 

The  teaching  staff  organized  by  electing  Professor  Sproull, 
president,  and  Professor  Norton,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Although  there  was  but  little  time  for  the  necessary  publicity, 
and  besides  the  fact  that  different  teachers'  institutes  hold  their 
meetings  on  Saturdays,  seventy-two  persons,  mostly  principals  and 
teachers,  were  enrolled.  In  addition  are  those  who  attend  single 
lectures  on  visitors'  "tickets.  At  the  end  of  the  courses,  volun- 
tary examinations  will  be  held  and  certificates  given  signed  by 
the  examiners. 
144 


University  Extension  in  Cincinnati.  145 

The  direct  benefit  of  these  classes  is  very  decided,  both  to 
those  taught  and  to  the  instructors.  The  work  of  teachers  in 
our  schools  is  so  varied  and  consists  of  so  many  details,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  strain  of  exercising  discipline,  that  they  have  neither 
the  time  nor  are  they  in  the  proper  mental  condition  to  special- 
ize. No  text-book,  moreover,  and  this  is  markedly  true  in  science, 
can  be  abreast  with  the  times.  The  Germans  recognize  this,  for  a 
text-book  has  scarcely  made  its  appearance  before  the  author  is 
at  work  on  a  new  and  revised  edition.  With  us  it  too  often  hap- 
pens the  book  is  stereotyped,  as  if  further  progress  for  years  were 
impossible,  and  published  until  the  plates  are  worn  out.  Dis- 
coveries recorded  in  journals  and  periodicals  quickly  put  the  best 
text-books  into  the  background,  and  these  discoveries  can  be 
watched  and  noted  only  by  the  specialist.  Even  excellent  edi- 
tions of  the  classics  fail  before  long  to  meet  the  demands  of  the 
scholar.  The  finding  of  a  manuscript,  the  critical  examinations 
of  texts,  the  discussions  of  grammatical  and  lexical  questions,  the 
flood  of  light  thrown  upon  Greek  and  Latin  authors  by  archaeo- 
logical investigations  are  contributions  to  our  knowledge  of  the 
many  phases  of  Greek  and  Roman  life,  and  they  can  be  recorded 
only  in  the  current  literature. 

What  teachers  can  keep  up  with  this  ?  Supposing  they  had  the 
time,  what  schools, — even  high  schools, — are  there  where  journals 
and  periodicals  of  any  specialty  are  at  their  command  ?  By  means 
of  Saturday  classes,  teachers  come  into  contact  with  specialists, 
whose  duty  and  endeavor  it  is  not  only  to  know  what  each  day 
brings  forth  in  their  departments,  but  also  to  contribute  thereto. 

The  writer  now  speaks  of  his  own  experience.  In  Latin  a 
course  in  Horace  had  been  offered,  but,  by  request,  this  is  now 
preceded  by  a  course  in  the  JEneid.  The  book  is  discussed 
exegetically  and  critically  by  the  aid  of  palaeographic  fac-similes. 
Collateral  reading  on  Latin  Literature,  Classical  Mythology, 
Roman  Antiquities  and  especially  on  the  author  read,  is  marked 
out  and  commented  upon.  Every  opportunity  is  given  for  ask- 
ing questions.  The  effect  is  magical.  Some  of  these  teachers 
have  gone  over  the  first  six  books  of  the  ^Eneid  frequently,  but,  as 
one  expressed  it,  they  are  reading  Vergil  for  the  first  time.  The 

10 


146     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

book  had  become  dry  and  ceased  to  have  any  interest  for  them, 
but  now  it  has  all  the  freshness  of  a  new  author. 

What  is  the  effect  upon  the  lecturer  ?  What  effect  must  it  have 
upon  any  professor  devoted  to  his  calling,  to  have  before  him  a 
body  of  teachers  who  give  up  their  Saturday  mornings  to  the 
class-room,  their  spare  time  during  the  week  to  preparation? 
Nothing  could  awaken  more  enthusiasm  in  him,  and  a  desire  to 
do  his  utmost,  than  so  many  adults  before  him  eager  to  learn  and 
ever  on  the  alert.  It  acts  as  a  mental  stimulant  with  only  good 
effects.  The  writer's  colleagues  bear  similar  testimony. 

How  great  is  the  indirect  benefit  ?  Of  these  seventy  and  more 
students,  fifty  are  teachers.  Each  teacher  comes  into  daily  con- 
tact with  at  least  thirty  scholars.  Thus  a  class  of  thirty  teachers 
is  representative  of  fifteen  hundred  scholars.  College  faculties, 
moreover,  complain,  oftentimes  unjustly,  of  the  instruction  in 
the  preparatory  schools.  These  teachers'  classes  give  them  the 
means  of  remedying  this,  in  a  great  measure.  The  community 
is  alive  to  the  importance  of  this  movement.  The  Union  Board 
of  High  Schools  of  Cincinnati  appointed  a  committee  of  con- 
ference to  have  additional  courses  established.  The  following 
extract  is  taken  from  an  article  that  appeared  in  the  Cincinnati 
Times-Star  of  October  22,  1891 : 

"  Every  Saturday  between  sixty  and  seventy  earnest  workers 
gather  at  the  University  for  these  classes.  As  yet  the  work 
is  only  in  its  beginning.  This  movement  promises  to  be  a 
telling  force  in  educational  affairs.  Next  year,  with  further 
experience,  the  work  done  will  be  an  improvement  upon  that  of 
this  year.  In  this  way  the  influence  of  the  University  will  go 
radiating  out  through  the  community.  The  professors  engaged 
in  this  work  combine  enthusiasm,  zeal,  tenacity  of  purpose,  sound 
judgment,  and  more  devoted  and  determined  students  cannot  be 
found.  Cincinnati  may  not  be  aware  of  the  fact,  but  it  is  never- 
theless true,  that  since  the  organization  of  the  school  system,  this 
University  Extension  work  is  the  most  important  step  taken  in 
the  interests  of  higher  education.  It  broadens  the  field  of  work 
and  offers  the  opportunity  of  a  liberal  education  to  hundreds  of 
those  to  whom  fate  in  youth  has  denied  it." 


University  Extension  in  Cincinnati.  147 

It  may  be  added,  the  whole  tendency  will  be  to  systematize 
and  unify  the  entire  plan  of  education  and  to  bring  all  the 
teachers  into  sympathetic  and  helpful  relations. 

The  good  accomplished  by  University  Extension  throughout 
the  country  in  organizing  centres  with  unit  courses  of  lectures 
is  very  great.  More  credit  is  due  this  movement,  however,  for 
showing  how  little  relatively  the  colleges  and  universities  are 
doing,  and  so  forcing  them  to  inquire  wherein  they  have  been 
derelict.  Consider  the  wealth  and  facilities  of  these  institutions, 
and^  then  look  at  the  vast  array  of  those  whom  University  Ex- 
tension has  brought  together,  longing  for  these  advantages,  but 
cannot  enjoy  them  on  account  of  restrictions  and  conditions. 
According  to  the  report  of  the  Bureau  of  Education  for  1888-89,* 
the  Colleges  of  Liberal  Art  have  an  invested  capital  of  $122,638,- 
681  (not  including  the  value  of  3,716,625  volumes),  with  an 
income  of  $8,293,444.  The  number  of  graduates  was  about 
7500.  This  does  not  convey  an  accurate  idea  of  how  many 
were  benefited,  but  since  the  object  of  a  college  is  to  map  out 
lines  of  work  that  can  be  completed  only  by  those  who  reach  the 
time  for  graduation,  the  number  of  graduates  must  be  taken  as  a 
test  of  efficiency. 

The  question  as  to  how  colleges  and  universities  situated  in  the 
cities  can  do  more  for  the  community  has  been  in  part  answered. 
Separate  classes  should  be  formed,  especially  for  teachers,  to  meet 
on  Saturdays.  The  instruction  should  be  of  a  high  order  along 
the  lines  of  college  work.  This  should  be  only  the  first  stage. 
Every  applicant  for  admission  to  college  must  comply  with  at 
least  three  conditions  :  First  is  the  condition  of  preliminary  edu- 
cation. Second  is  the  condition  of  place.  Instruction  is  given 
only  within  the  college  walls.  The  third  is  the  time-condition  ; 
that  is,  the  student  must  attend  during  the  day. 


*  The  writer  wishes  to  express  his  thanks  to  Dr.  W.  T.  Harris  for  ad- 
vance sheets  of  the  Report  for  1888-89,  also  to  Professor  Coy,  Principal 
of  Hughes  High  School,  Professor  Harper,  Principal  of  Woodward  High 
School,  and  Professor  Weaver,  Principal  of  Bellevue  (Ky.)  High  School,  for 
statistics  and  suggestions. 


148     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

It  is  the  third  condition  that  should  be  modified  or  done  away 
with,  if  possible,  in  certain  cases. 

A  great  advance  has  been  made  by  President  Harper  in  his 
announcement  that  the  University  of  Chicago  will  be  open  the 
year  round.  This  adds  one-fourth  more  time,  in  which  the  Uni- 
versity can  carry  on  its  work  and  extend  its  facilities  to  the  large 
number  of  persons  who  cannot  attend  during  the  other  nine 
months.  The  writer  proposes  another  innovation,  that  colleges 
and  universities  in  cities  offer  full  college  courses  leading  to 
degrees,  to  be  carried  on  in  the  evening  during  the  year.*  There 
is  an  element  of  justice  in  making  this  as  a  demand  on  those 
institutions  so  situated  and  receiving  State  or  municipal  aid.  In 
1888-89,  the  Colleges  of  Liberal  Arts  received  such  aid  to  the 
amount  of  $1,326,395,  and,  as  far  as  the  writer  knows,  there  is 
not  one  where  he  who  must  work  by  day  can  prosecute  college 
work  by  night. 

These  evening  classes  would  be  recruited  from  the  following 
sources : 

First. — Of  the  high  schools  of  Cincinnati  (and  the  same  is  no 
doubt  true  elsewhere)  there  are  every  year  many  graduates  both 
qualified  and  desirous  to  engage  in  college  work,  but  circum- 
stances compel  them  to  earn  their  living. f  Professor  Coy,  Prin- 
cipal of  the  Hughes  high  school,  thinks  this  would  include 
from  twenty  to  thirty  per  cent  of  each  graduating  class,  which  last 
year  numbered  in  both  schools  one  hundred  and  sixty-six.  There 
are  also  those  who  had  time,  opportunity,  and  perhaps  every 
encouragement  to  go  to  college,  but  no  inclination,  and  who 
would  now  like  to  rectify  their  mistake.  Many  college  gradu- 
ates, moreover,  would  continue  their  studies  if  they  could  perform 
the  class -work  in  the  evening. 

Second. — There  is  a  large  number  of  students  pursuing  their 
professional  studies  in  the  cities,  who  never  went  to  college ;  or, 


*  This  was  advocated  by  the  writer  first  in  the  Cincinnati  Courier,  June, 
1890.  It  is  urged  strenuously  by  J.  Spencer  Hill,  Hon.  Treas.  of  the  Chelsea 
University  Extension  Centre,  in  the  London  Academy,  December  26,  1891. 

f  The  high  schools  of  Cincinnati  prepare  students  to  enter  without  conditions 
the  B.A.,  B.S.,  or  B.L.  course  of  any  institution. 


University  Extension  in  Cincinnati.  149 

it  may  be,  for  a  year  or  two.  Oftentimes  the  reason  is  that  their 
professional  training,  if  deferred  until  after  graduation,  would 
make  their  start  in  life  too  late.  Here  again  financial  straits 
may  come  into  play.  By  such  students  some  collegiate  studies 
could  be  carried  on  in  the  evening,  and  after  they  had  entered 
upon  their  vocation,  ample  time  would  be  at  their  service  during 
a  few  years  for  such  work.  Those  students  who  had  gone  to 
college  for  a  year  or  two  might  be  able  to  complete  their 
course  by  the  time  they  had  finished  their  professional  studies. 
In  1888-89  there  were  enrolled  in  the  college  department  of  the 
Colleges  of  Liberal  Arts  57,121  names,  and  not  one-seventh  of 
this  number  graduated. 

Third. — The  principal  source  would  be  from  the  body  of 
teachers,  chiefly  of  the  common  schools.  There  are  within  reach 
of  such  classes  at  the  University  of  Cincinnati  fifteen  hundred 
teachers.  Most  of  these  have  graduated  from  the  high  school, 
for  this  is  one  condition  of  appointment  in  the  common  schools. 
Judging  from  the  success  of  the  Saturday  classes,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  teachers  who  have  studied  the  subject, 
two  hundred  of  these  teachers  would  matriculate  in  evening 
classes.  There  are  more  than  a  dozen  cities,  each  of  which  has 
a  collegiate  institution,  where  the  average  prospect  for  such 
classes  would  be  as  good  as  in  Cincinnati.  One  important  fact 
is  that  these  classes  would  be  made  up  of  students  attending  of 
their  own  volition,  and  thus  by  their  presence  under  such  cir- 
cumstances showing  their  appreciation  of  a  higher  education. 

Educators  have  failed  to  set  a  proper  value  upon  the  influence  of 
the  common-school  teacher  in  shaping  the  course  of  the  youth 
in  after-life.  Her  personal  influence  (for  they  are  mostly  women) 
is  far  greater  than  the  subject-matter  of  her  instruction.  Her 
dictum  has  with  the  child  often  the  force  of  an  oracle.  She 
meets  the  boy  at  that  age  when  he  is  eager  to  give  up  all  higher 
aims  for  a  chance  to  make  money.  In  elementary  education  the 
personal  element  of  the  teacher  has  greater  weight  than  at  any 
other  period.  The  relative  effect  of  the  subject-matter  and  the 
teacher's  personal  influence  approach  each  other  as  the  child 
grows  older,  until  they  occupy  reversed  positions.  The  personal 


150    The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

element  of  the  professor  usually  makes  little  impression  upon  the 
student  in  comparison  with  the  subject  taught.  The  common- 
school  teacher  is  consequently  not  the  least,  but  the  most  im- 
portant, factor  in  deciding  the  child's  future.  She  should,  there- 
fore, have  the  greatest  intellectual  breadth.  It  would  not  do  to 
demand  of  her  a  college  education  as  one  condition  of  appoint- 
ment. The  salary  is  so  small  that  it  would  not  be  fair  to  require 
four  additional  years  of  preparation  without  additional  compen- 
sation. By  means  of  evening  classes  teachers  would  have  an 
opportunity  to  acquire  that  knowledge,  breadth  of  intellect,  and 
mental  discipline  they  so  much  need.  Besides  this,  teachers 
transferred  from  the  common  schools  to  the  high  schools  can- 
not have,  under  our  present  system,  qualified  themselves  for  their 
new  position.  As  a  rule,  they  have  not  only  not  advanced,  but 
have  forgotten  much  they  learned  during  the  high  school  cur- 
riculum. On  the  other  hand,  a  few  years'  experience  in  teaching, 
combined  with  the  training  of  a  college  education,  will  admi- 
rably prepare  them  for  their  new  duties.* 

The  additional  expense  connected  with  these  evening  classes, 
except  for  the  increase  in  the  teaching  force,  would  be  compar- 
atively little.  The  same  buildings,  grounds,  apparatus,  and 
libraries  could  be  used  both  for  day  and  evening  classes.  It 
would  be,  without  doubt,  necessary  to  enlarge  correspondingly 
the  faculty  of  any  institution  that  engaged  in  this  work,  but  that 
new  outlay  would  be  far  more  than  offset  by  the  much  greater 
use  that  would  be  made  of  the  immense  capital  invested  in 
buildings,  grounds,  libraries,  and  apparatus. 

These  evening  classes  could  not  go  over  the  whole  ground  in 
four  years,  but  let  graduation  depend  upon  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  the  work  done  without  any  time-limit. 

Can  these  questions  be  answered  affirmatively?  Do  those 
high  schools  taught  by  college  graduates  send  the  largest  num- 


The  Union  Board  of  High  Schools  of  Cincinnati  will  probably  at  its 
next  meeting  make  a  rule,  that  hereafter  only  graduates  of  reputable  colleges 
will  be  appointed  teachers  in  the  high  schools.  This  rule  will  not  apply  to 
the  present  teachers. 


University  Extension  in  Cincinnati.  151 

ber  of  students  to  college?  Do  those  common  schools  in  which 
are  teachers,  graduates  of  high  schools  or  colleges,  send  the 
largest  number  of  pupils  to  the  high  schools  ?  If  these  questions 
can  be  affirmed,  then  give  the  teachers  in  the  schools  a  college 
education  by  giving  them  opportunities  to  secure  it,  and  do  this 
by  abolishing  in  their  cases,  as  well  as  in  those  of  the  other  classes 
mentioned,  the  present  condition  of  time,  both  as  to  when  and 
how  long  they  must  study  to  secure  the  end.  If  colleges  and 
universities  in  cities  provide  for  these  classes  also,  University 
Extension  can  meet  the  wants  of  those  who  cannot  comply  with 
the  conditions  of  preliminary  education  and  place.  The  most 
ardent  friends  of  University  Extension  belong  to  the  faculties  of 
city  institutions.  They  can  hasten  or  retard  the  introduction 
of  this  innovation.  At  all  events,  the  time  will  come  when  the 
doors  of  many  such  institutions  will  be  open  to  students,  not 
only  the  year  round  by  day,  but  also  the  year  round  by  night. 


THE  STATE  AND   UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION. 

BY   RALPH   W.    THOMAS, 
Chief  Examiner,  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

NOTHING  in  the  University  Extension  movement  is  more  sig- 
nificant than  its  progress  towards  government  recognition. 

The  title  of  the  first  edition  of  the  book  published  by  Halford 
J.  Mackinder  and  Michael  E.  Sadler  was  "  University  Extension, 
has  it  a  Future?"  The  last  edition  is  entitled  "  University 
Extension,  Past,  Present,  and  Future."  Among  the  facts  which 
have  caused  this  change  none  is  more  important  than  the  action 
of  the  British  government  in  giving  official  support  to  the  move- 
ment. 

Of  the  States  of  our  country,  New  York  is  the  first  officially  to 
recognize  University  Extension.  When  our  system  of  higher 
education  is  considered  this  seems  natural.  All  the  interests  of 
higher  education  in  New  York  are  committed  to  the  State  Uni- 
versity. It  has  the  power  to  grant,  amend,  or  repeal  charters  of 
higher  educational  institutions.  It  has  the  duty  of  inspection 
and  visitation.  It  has  a  great  system  of  examinations  by  which 
to  test  the  work  of  the  schools;  and  it  is  commissioned  by  the 
legislature  annually  to  distribute  $106,000  to  high  schools  and 
academies.  The  State  Library  and  the  State  Museum  are  depart- 
ments of  the  university,  and  their  interests  are  closely  allied  to 
the  general  educational  work  of  the  State.  The  natural  agent, 
therefore,  to  carry  forward  the  work  of  University  Extension  in 
New  York  was  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

As  the  appropriation  of  last  year  was  the  first  of  its  kind  in 
this  country,  it  will  doubtless  be  of  value  as  a  precedent,  and, 
therefore,  it  may  be  proper  to  submit*  a  brief  statement  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  merits  of  the1  Extension  movement  were 
presented  to  the  legislature. 

When  the  regents  of  the  university  had  satisfied  themselves 
152 


The  State  and  University  Extension.  153 

that  this  movement  was  of  real  worth,  they  communicated  with 
the  faculties  of  all  the  colleges  in  the  State  to  ascertain  whether 
or  not  the  colleges  would  favor  such  a  project.  Without  a  dis- 
senting voice  the  colleges  heartily  favored  the  plan,  and  urged 
the  regents  to  appeal  to  the  legislature  for  the  appropriation 
necessary  to  carry  on  the  executive  work. 

The  bill  introduced  in  both  houses  of  the  legislature  provided 
"  that  no  part  of  the  appropriation  should  be  expended  in  paying 
for  the  services  or  expenses  of  persons  designated  or  appointed 
as  lecturers  or  instructors."  It  was  intended  that  all  such 
expenses  should  be  borne  by  the  localities  benefited.  A  joint 
hearing  was  given  to  the  advocates  of  the  measure  by  the  Finance 
Committee  of  the  Senate  and  the  Committee  of  Ways  and  Means 
of  the  Assembly.  At  that  hearing  every  college  in  the  State  was 
represented  either  by  a  delegate  or  by  a  letter.  As  the  secretary 
of  the  university  called  the  roll,  the  representatives  of  the  various 
institutions  urged  upon  the  members  of  the  committee  the  im- 
portance of  the  measure  under  consideration.  The  great  fact 
which  the  hearing  developed  was  the  unity  of  the  educators  of 
the  State  in  favor  of  the  proposed  measure. 

A  former  Senator  remarked  that  it  was  the  most  impressive 
hearing  that  he  had  ever  seen.  Wonder  has  been  expressed 
that  a  measure  of  such  importance  should  have  passed  the  legis- 
lature with  so  little  opposition.  The  explanation  seems  to  be 
that  the  educators  of  the  State  were  a  unit  in  asking  for  its  pas- 
sage, and  this  unity  of  sentiment  was  the  strongest  argument  in 
favor  of  the  bill. 

The  present  position  of  the  movement  in  New  York  differs 
from  that  in  England  in  these  respects : 

1.  The  expenditure  of  the  fund  is  in  charge  of  one  central 
authority. 

2.  The  appropriation  is  not  restricted  to  the  advancement  of 
technical  education,  but  can  be  used  for  the  purposes  of  organi- 
zation without  reference  to  the  studies  which  are  to  be  taught. 

The  lesson  of  the  New  York  movement  is  that  the  most  valua- 
ble ally  of  University  Extension  is  the  unqualified,  enthusiastic, 
and  united  support  of  the  educational  forces  of  the  State. 


REPORTS. 


REPORTS  OF  PROGRESS. 


MAINE. 

Professor  Leslie  A.  Lee,  of  Bowdoin  College,  reported  to  the 
Conference  the  action  of  the  faculty  of  that  institution  in  favor 
of  University  Extension.  Courses  are  offered  by  many  of  the 
professors  on  different  subjects,  and  some  have  already  been 
arranged  for  several  towns  in  the  State. 

VERMONT. 

President  M.  H.  Buckham  represented  the  University  of  Ver- 
mont at  the  National  Conference,  and  reported  great  interest  in 
the  work.  The  attitude  of  the  University  of  Vermont  is  cordial 
toward  the  movement,  and  there  is  prospect  of  earnest  effort 
being  made  at  an  early  date  to  introduce  the  system  in  towns 
throughout  the  State. 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

No  courses  have  so  far  been  established  in  New  Hampshire,  but 
many  of  the  leading  newspapers  of  the  State  have  shown  their 
interest  in  the  work  by  publishing  articles  descriptive  of  the 
movement  and  by  advocating  its  introduction. 

MASSACHUSETTS. 

Centres  have  been  established  in  Massachusetts  in  Attleboro', 
and  North  Attleboro',  under  the  general  direction  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity. President  Merrill  E.  Gates,  of  Amherst  College,  has 
been  from  the  first  an  earnest  advocate  of  University  Extension, 
and  the  interest  of  that  institution  is  being  exerted  in  behalf  of 


158     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

it.  The  Prospect  Progressive  Union,  of  Cambridge,  founded 
and  carried  on  by  students  of  Harvard  College,  is  offering  now 
to  workingmen  many  of  the  advantages  of  University  Extension. 
Courses  are  arranged  for  evening  work,  and  instruction  is  being 
given  by  not  less  than  forty  students  out  of  the  entire  membership 
of  two  hundred.  For  this  year  twenty  courses  have  been  offered 
in  history,  languages,  mathematics,  and  political  science.  The 
meetings  are  on  every  week-day  evening  from  seven  to  nine  o'clock. 
At  Westfield,  Professor  Williston  Walker,  Ph.D.,  of  Hartford, 
Conn.,  is  to  deliver  a  course  of  Extension  lectures  on  "The 
History  of  Modern  Italy"  before  the  History  Club.  Professor 
Graham  Taylor,  D.D.,  of  Hartford,  has  an  Extension  course  of 
eight  lectures  on  "Sociological  Conditions  of  Christian  Work" 
before  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Training-school,  at  Springfield. 


RHODE  ISLAND. 

Professor  Wilfred  H.  Munro,  Director  of  the  University  Extension  for 
Brown  University,  read  the  following  report : 

In  the  academic  year  1890-91,  University  Extension  work,  as 
such,  was  begun  experimentally  in  Providence  and  in  Pawtucket, 
Rhode  Island,  by  Professors  Bailey,  Bumpus,  Upton,  and  Wil- 
liams, of  Brown  University.  Lecture  courses  were  given  by 
these  gentlemen  in  Botany,  Biology,  Astronomy,  and  German 
Literature.  The  audiences  were  as  large  as  could  well  be  handled, 
and  the  interest  they  manifested  was  most  gratifying. 

As  a  result  of  these  experimental  courses,  the  Corporation  of 
Brown  University,  at  its  meeting  in  June,  1891,  voted  to  make 
Extension  teaching  a  part  of  its  scheme  of  work,  appointed  one 
of  its  faculty  Director  of  the  University  Extension,  and  granted 
permission  to  all  the  members  of  the  faculty  to  engage  in  Ex- 
tension teaching  wherever  they  could  do  so  without  detriment  to 
their  regular  college  work. 

The  peculiar  situation  of  Providence,  in  the  midst  of  a  large 
and  compact  population,  and  its  excellent  railway  facilities,  enable 
the  University  to  accomplish  more  in  this  line  than  is  possible 


Rhode  L 

for  most  colleges.  In  order  to  reach  the  largest  number  (and 
because  the  lecturers  feel  that  they  ought  to  do,  at  least  at  the 
outset,  much  missionary  work),  the  lecturer's  fee  has  been  placed 
at  one  hundred  dollars  ($100)  for  a  course  of  twelve  lectures, — 
a  much  lower  price  than  is  charged  anywhere  else,  in  America  or 
in  England.  No  half-courses  are  given.  This  low  charge  makes 
it  possible  for  centres  to  be  organized  in  small  towns,  and  for  the 
most  part  results  in  small  classes  of  from  thirty  to  fifty  persons; 
that  is,  in  classes  having  about  the  number  of  students  which 
the  best  schools  ordinarily  assign  to  one  teacher.  The  element 
we  make  most  prominent  is  the  teaching  element.  Our  object  is 
not  to  amuse,  but  to  instruct.  We  wish  to  do  away  entirely  with 
the  motive  which  governed  the  old  lyceum.  Smaller  classes  do 
better  work  than  larger  ones,  in  the  Extension  not  less  than  in 
the  regular  University  work,  and  the  personality  of  the  instructor 
counts  for  much  more. 

With  one  exception,  all  oar  lecturers  are  members  of  our  own 
faculty.  There  is  no  raw  material  in  the  force,  and  the  work 
done  is  more  systematic  and  thorough  than  is  usually  the  case 
with  early  Extension  teaching.  The  Director  knows  personally 
the  capabilities  of  his  men,  and  can  place  them  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage. 

Not  so  much  importance  is  given  to  the  syllabus  as  is  usually 
assigned  to  it,  and,  except  in  a  very  few  instances,  no  syllabi 
have  thus  far  been  printed.  The  lectures  have  been  prepared 
with  special  reference  to  the  needs  of  the  particular  audience 
before  which  they  were  to  be  delivered,  and  the  lecturers  have 
not  hesitated  to  vary  them  wherever  it  seemed  wise  to  do  so. 
This  has  required  more  labor  on  the  part  of  the  instructor,  but 
the  benefit  to  the  class  has  been  great.  Not  infrequently  written 
lectures  prove  to  be  beyond  the  comprehension  of  those  who 
listen  to  them,  and  if  in  such  a  case  a  cast-iron  syllabus  has  to  be 
used,  much  harm  results.  All  the  lecturers  have  prepared  full 
analyses,  which  have  most  frequently  been  dictated  to  the  class, 
and  all  furnish  full  bibliographies.  All  give  special  prominence 
to  the  class-work. 

All  ages  and  conditions  of  life  are  found  in  our  classes.     The 


160     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

larger  proportion  of  the  members  are  women,  but  two  classes  are 
composed  entirely  of  men.  One  of  these  latter — in  Practical 
Physics — is  made  up  almost  entirely  of  skilled  mechanics  from 
the  famous  factory  of  the  Browne  &  Sharpe  Manufacturing 
Company.  The  other  numbers  upon  its  roll  only  members  of  the 
Young  Men's  Debating  Society,  in  whose  rooms  it  meets.  The 
place  of  meeting  is  almost  always  a  school-house.  The  use  of 
these  buildings  has  been  given  by  the  school  authorities. 

Twenty-one  (21)  courses  of  lectures  are  now  being  delivered, 
by  thirteen  (13)  lecturers,  in  nine  (9)  cities  and  towns  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Massachusetts. 

Five  courses  in  Constitutional  History. 

One       "        "  Mediaeval  History. 

One       "        "  Botany. 

Two      "        "  Zoology. 

One       "        "  Physiology. 

One       "        "  Political  Economy. 

Six         "        "  English  Literature 

Two      "        "  Physics. 

One       "        "  Astronomy. 

One       "        "  Art  and  Architecture. 

CONNECTICUT. 

University  Extension  work  has  been  undertaken  in  Connecti- 
cut actively  by  professors  of  Trinity  College  and  Hartford  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  Pioneer  work  of  an  excellent  kind  has  been 
done  by  teachers  of  the  Norwich  Free  Academy.  More  recently, 
the  professors  of  Yale  and  Wesleyan  University  have  become 
interested  in  the  movement  and  are  arranging  courses  for  the 
coming  year.  President  Dwight,  of  Yale,  has  always  been  one 
of  the  warm  friends  and  advocates  of  University  Extension,  and 
President  S.  P.  Raymond,  who  represented  Wesleyan  University 
at  the  National  Conference,  is  equally  favorable  to  it. 

Mr.  H.  E.  Bourne,  of  the  Norwich  Free  Academy,  read  at  the 
Conference  the  following  forecasting  of  University  Extension  in 
Eastern  Connecticut : 


Connecticut.  161 

"  The  work  I  have  been  asked  to  describe  is  not  an  example  of 
University  Extension.  It  is  an  effort  to  do  something  in  a  mod- 
est way  for  those  who  live  in  the  small  mill  villages  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Norwich,  in  Eastern  Connecticut.  You  will  remem- 
ber that  there  are  in  that  part  of  the  State  a  large  number  of 
such  villages.  As  many  of  them  are  off  the  railroad  and  poorly 
furnished  with  means  of  intellectual  development,  such  as  libra- 
ries, reading-rooms,  and  the  like,  the  life  of  the  people  is  neces- 
sarily quiet,  not  to  say  dull.  It  is  almost  an  unending  routine  of 
mill  work,  lasting  from  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  six  at 
night,  with  nothing  in  the  evening  except  an  occasional  prayer- 
meeting  or  travelling  variety  theatre  to  stir  up  the  mind.  In  such 
villages  as  these  some  of  us  on  the  faculty  of  the  Norwich  Free 
Academy  thought  we  might  profitably  give  courses  of  lectures  on 
subjects  in  which  we  were  especially  interested.  The  first  lec- 
ture, which  had  for  its  subject  the  plainer  facts  of  astronomy, 
has  been  given  during  the  month  of  December  in  four  villages, 
to  audiences  numbering  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty,  and  composed  of  employers  as  well  as  employees,  but,  of 
course,  largely  of  the  latter.  The  listeners  have  seemed  to  pay 
excellent  attention,  although  little  training  in  the  act  of  attention 
can  be  presupposed  in  their  case.  No  doubt  the  views  of  differ- 
ent astronomical  objects  cast  upon  a  screen  by  the  stereopticon 
greatly  assisted  them  in  giving  attention.  This  lecture  is  to  be 
followed  by  others,  some  of  which  are  of  a  more  practical  nature. 
They  do  not,  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  constitute  what  we 
hope  will  be  the  permanent  work  of  the  Academy  for  these 
villages.  They  will  serve,  we  think,  however,  to  make  us  ac- 
quainted with  the  people  and  them  acquainted  with  us,  and  to 
establish  sympathetic  relations  between  us,  so  that  a  perma- 
nent work  may  be  successfully  organized  for  such  villages,  con- 
stituting what  we  may  call  an  outside  academy.  The  permanent 
instruction  would  concern  itself  chiefly  with  the  more  useful  facts 
of  natural  science,  American  history,  and  American  ways  of  gov- 
erning. Thus  far  we  have  made  no  charge  for  admission  to  these 
lectures,  because  we  did  not  wish  our  purpose  to  be  misunder- 
stood. We  wished  the  people  to  feel  that  the  whole  enterprise 

ii 


1 62     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

arose  out  of  a  brotherly  spirit  of  interest  in  them.  The  slight 
incidental  expenses  have  been  borne  in  each  case  by  the  owners 
of  the  mills.  Perhaps  later  it  will  be  possible  to  have  the  people 
themselves  assume  the  incidental  expenses,  or  part  of  them, 
without  any  danger  that  our  motives  may  be  misconstrued,  and 
our  enterprise  be  stigmatized  as  a  money-making  affair. 

"  I  wish  to  add  one  or  two  remarks  upon  another  subject  sug- 
gested by  this  meeting.  Why  is  it  not  possible  for  the  educated 
men  of  this  country  to  establish  courses  of  instruction  in  the 
essentials  of  good  citizenship,  including  a  knowledge  of  American 
history  and  our  national,  State,  and  local  governments,  and  of 
the  elementary  principles  of  political  economy  especially  adapted 
to  attract  those  who  have  come  to  our  shores  from  foreign  coun- 
tries, and  who  are  almost  totally  unacquainted  with  our  national 
aims  and  political  methods  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  such  courses 
of  instruction,  planned  in  a  sympathetic  spirit  and  patiently  con- 
ducted, will  do  more  to  solve  our  problem  of  immigration  than 
any  amount  of  cheap  lamentation  over  the  startling  inroads  of 
undesirable  foreigners. ' ' 

Rev.  F.  B.  Hartranft,  of  the  Hartford  Theological  Seminary, 
read  the  following  account  of  University  Extension  in  Hartford  : 

"  The  most  notable  enterprise  in  which  the  Seminary  has  this 
year  embarked  outside  its  routine  work  is  the  system  of  lectures 
and  classes  organized  under  the  general  caption  of  University 
Extension. 

"  With  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  this  movement,  Harvard  Semi- 
nary has  long  been  sympathetic.  In  actual  accomplishment  it 
has  considerably  anticipated  the  wide-spread  organization  of  the 
matter  throughout  the  country.  The  first  definite  step  was  taken 
eleven  years  ago  in  the  establishment  of  the  Choral  Union,  which 
has  ever  since  served  as  a  most  significant  extension  of  Seminary 
resources  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  Hartford  and  vicinity. 
The  Union  has  already  been  a  source  of  musical  knowledge  and 
inspiration  to  at  least  fifteen  hundred  different  singers,  has  given 
thirty-four  public  concerts  at  which  a  long  list  of  choral  master- 
pieces has  been  presented  to  some  thousands  of  auditors,  has 
stimulated  the  formation  of  a  score  or  more  of  choral  societies 


Connecticut.  163 

throughout  the  State,  and  is  now  a  most  flourishing  institution, 
with  two  choruses,  an  enthusiastic  constituency,  and  a  bright 
future. 

"The  attitude  of  the  Seminary  toward  this  kind  of  work  was 
emphatically  set  forth  in  the  inaugural  address  of  President  Hart- 
ranft  in  May,  1888.  As  an  immediate  fruit  of  the  policy  then 
promulgated,  the  experiment  was  tried  three  years  ago  of  occa- 
sional public  lectures  by  members  of  the  faculty.  This  plan  was 
continued  until  this  year.  The  list  of  lecturers  has  included 
Professors  Hartranft,  Bissell,  Pratt,  Beardslee,  Richardson,  Gil- 
lett,  and  Walker.  In  1889-90,  also,  a  system  of  'Popular 
Classes'  was  set  up,  including  the  following  subjects : 

1.  Prof.  Zenos.     Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  the  New 
Testament. 

2.  Prof.  Zenos.     Elements  of  New  Testament  Greek. 

3.  Prof.  Bissell.     Introduction  to  the  Literature  of  the  Old 
Testament. 

4.  Prof.  Bissell.     Elements  of  Hebrew. 

5.  Prof.  Hartranft.     The  Post-Apostolic  Church. 

6.  Prof.   Walker.     The  Reformation. 

7.  Prof.  Richardson.     History  of  Philosophy. 

8.  Prof.  Beardslee.  The  International  Sunday-school  Lesson. 

9.  Prof.  Gillett.     Studies  in  Psychology. 

10.  Prof.  Taylor.  Training  in  the  Methods  of  Practical  Chris- 
tian Work. 

n.  Prof.  Pratt.     Musical  Sight-Reading. 

"  The  enrolment  for  that  year  included  over  four  hundred  and 
fifty  students  in  the  various  courses,  most  of  which  consisted  of 
about  fifteen  lectures. 

"In  1890-91  this  system  was  continued,  with  the  following 
list  of  subjects : 

1.  Prof.  Bissell.     Literature  of  the  Old  Testament. 

2.  Mr.   Wright.     Elements  of  Hebrew. 

3.  Prof.  Zenos.     The  Bible  and  the  Monuments. 

4.  Prof.  Zenos.     Elements  of  New  Testament  Greek. 

5.  Prof.  Hartranft.     Christian  Literature  from  Hadrian  to 
Septimius  Severus. 


1 64     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

6.  Prof.  Walker.     Europe  and  America  from  the  Rise  of 
Frederick  the  Great  to  the  Fall  of  Napoleon. 

7.  Prof.  Beardslee.  The  International  Sunday-school  Lessons. 

8.  Prof.  Gillctt.     History  of  Philosophy. 

9.  Prof.  Taylor.     Training  in  Methods  of  Christian  Work. 
10.  Mr.  F.  B.  Hartranft.     The  Thiersage  and  Fabel  in  Ger- 
man Literature. 

"The  enrolment  that  year  included  about  three  hundred  and 
fifty  students. 

"At  the  beginning  of  the  present  year  it  was  felt  that  some  ex- 
tension of  the  system  was  desirable,  with  some  modifications  of 
its  details.  Hitherto  only  Seminary  professors  had  served  as 
teachers,  and  no  fees  whatever  were  exacted.  This  year  the 
effort  was  made  to  consolidate  the  many  disconnected  instruc- 
tional undertakings  of  a  popular  character  in  Hartford,  to  give 
them  a  common  centre  and  name,  and  to  maintain  more  or  less 
nominal  fees  to  cover  expenses  of  administration,  and,  in  some 
cases,  to  remunerate  the  lecturer.  The  initial  inquiries  revealed 
a  remarkable  readiness  on  the  part  of  about  twenty  teachers  to 
join  in  this  enterprise,  so  that  with  very  little  effort  a  list  of  sub- 
jects was  announced  by  means  of  a  general  circular,  which  was 
widely  distributed  over  the  city  and  suburbs.  The  administra- 
tion of  the  whole  undertaking  was  lodged  in  the  hands  of  a 
committee  of  the  faculty,  consisting  of  Professors  Hartranft, 
Taylor,  and  Gillett,  with  Mr.  F.  B.  Hartranft  as  secretary. 

"The  subjects  announced  in  the  circular  are  as  follows: 

LANGUAGE  AND  LITERATURE. 

1.  Miss  Margaret  Bly the.     Carlyle. 

2.  Richard  E.  Burton,  Ph.D.     English,  as  it  is  written  and 
spoken.     Twelve  lectures. 

3.  Mr.  Frederick  B.  Hartranft.    German  Poetical  Literature 
from  Opitz  to  Gottsched  (1624-1750).     Six  lectures. 

4.  Prof.  Charles  F.  Johnson,  M.A.    English  Poetical  Forms. 
Six  lectures. 

5.  Prof.  W.  E.  Martin,  LL.B.,  Ph.D.     Outlines  of  the  Rig- 
Veda. 


Connecticut.  165 

HISTORY  (inclusive  of  History  of  Culture). 

6.  Mr.  Frederick  H.  Chapin.     i .  History  of  Exploration  in 
the  Southwest  (New  Mexico  and  Arizona).    2.  Cliff-dwellings  of 
Mancos  Canon,  Colorado.     With  stereopticon  views. 

7.  Prof.  Henry  Ferguson,  M.A.    Europe  before  the  Crusades. 
Six  lectures. 

8.  Mr.  Otto  B.  Schlutter.      Old-Time  German  and  English 
Beliefs  and  Customs,  and  their  Meaning.     These  lectures  are 
delivered  in  the  German  language.     Six  lectures. 

ETHICS. 

9.  Prof.  Stephen  G.  Barnes,  Ph.D.,  Litt.D.     Principles  and 
Practice  of  Morality ;  on  the  Basis  of  Robinson.     Twelve  lec- 
tures. 

SOCIOLOGY. 

10.  Prof.  John  F.  McCook,  M.A.     The  Alms  Question— Past 
and  Present.     Six  lectures. 

THEOLOGY. 

11.  Samuel  F.  Andrews,  D.D.      Life  of   Christ.      Twelve 
lectures. 

12.  Prof.  Clarks  S.  Beardslee,  M.A.     The  International  Sun- 
day-school Lesson. 

13.  Edwin  P.  Parker,  D.D.     On  the  Tendency  to  Materialize 
Religion. 

MEDICINE. 

14.  Melancthon  Storrs,  M.D.     Physiology.     Twelve  lectures. 

LAW. 

15.  Hon.  Nathaniel  Shipman,  LL.D.      The  Development  of 
the  Constitution  by  Judicial  Decisions. 

ART. 

1 6.  Hartford  Art  Association.     Under  its  auspices  six  lectures 
will  be  given.     Lecturers,  dates,  and  terms  will  be  announced 
later. 

17.  Edward  D.  Hale,  M.A.     Piano  recitals,  with  lectures  on 
the  Romantic  Composers. 


1 66     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

1 8.  Mr.  William  C.  Hammond.    Two  Organ  Recitals,  at  dates 
to  be  announced  later. 

19.  Edwin  P.   Parker,  D.D.      i.    Hymnody.      2.    Church 
Music. 

20.  Prof.  Waldo  S.  Pratt,  M.A.      Some  Curious  Things  in 
Musical  History. 

NATURAL  SCIENCE. 

21.  Prof.  Flavel  S.  Luther,  M.A.      Tycho,   Brahe,  Kepler, 
Galileo,  Descartes,  Newton,  in  their  Several  Positions  as  Factors 
in  the  Development  of  Modern  Physical  Science. 

"To  the  list  is  appended  the  announcement  of  the  following 
free  lectures. 

"Prof.  Charles  C.  Stearns,  M.A.  Six  lectures  on  the  Carew 
Foundation,  to  be  given  early  in  1892.  The  Hittites.  New 
Lights  from  Old  Records  of  a  Forgotten  People. 

"Rev.  Alpheus  C.  Hodges,  M.A.  Religious  Leaders  of  New 
England,  i.  The  Founders  and  Opponents  of  the  Theocracy. 
2.  Edwards  and  His  Friends  and  Foes.  3.  Later  Developments. 

"Rev.  Edward H.  Knight,  M.A.  i.  Critical  Examination  of 
certain  Books  of  the  Old  Testament  Apocrypha.  2.  The  Rela- 
tion of  certain  Parts  of  the  Old  Testament  Apocrypha  to  the 
Inspiration  of  the  Bible. 

"Rev.  Charles  S.  Lane,  M.A.  The  Septuagint.  i.  Its  Text. 
2.  The  Septuagint  in  the  New  Testament. 

"It  is  too  soon  to  pronounce  upon  the  success  of  this  undertak- 
ing as  a  whole.  But  it  is  evident  that  the  fraternal  co-operation 
in  it  of  so  many  instructors,  from  Trinity  College  and  from  the 
city,  as  well  as  from  the  Seminary,  is  a  significant  and  delightful 
fact.  It  is  evident,  also,  that  the  response  on  the  part  of  audi- 
tors has  been  ample  and  enthusiastic  enough  to  make  the  enter- 
prise from  the  start  a  decided  popular  success.  Doubtless  after 
this  season's  experience  the  plan  will  be  carried  to  a  still  greater 
perfection  another  year.  In  particular,  it  is  probable  that  lec- 
tures will  be  more  generally  supplemented  by  recitations  and 
examinations. ' ' 

For  other  Extension  work  in  Connecticut,  see  "The  First 
Annual  Report  of  the  American  Society." 


New  York — New  Jersey.  167 

NEW  YORK. 

In  New  York  excellent  work  was  done  for  several  years  by  the 
New  York  University  and  School  Extension,  the  secretary  of 
which  was  Seth  T.  Stewart,  of  Brooklyn.  By  his  earnest  and 
whole-souled  devotion  much  was  accomplished  for  this  movement 
both  in  New  York  and  throughout  the  country.  Under  the  au- 
spices of  the  society  of  which  he  was  secretary,  many  lectures 
were  given  in  New  York  City,  Brooklyn,  and  other  places  by 
such  eminent  men  as  Professor  Boyesen,  of  Columbia ;  Profes- 
sors Marquand  and  Frothingham,  of  Princeton  ;  Professor  Kit- 
tredge,  of  Harvard,  and  Professor  Ladd,  of  Yale. 

The  appropriation  by  the  New  York  Legislature  of  ten  thousand 
dollars,  to  be  expended  in  the  line  of  University  Extension 
under  the  direction  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
has  given  a  great  impulse  to  the  work  in  the  entire  State.  Sec- 
retary Dewey  has  entered  actively  on  the  work  of  establishing 
centres,  and  with  his  able  assistance  much  progress  will  doubtless 
be  made  in  the  coming  year.  (See  also  the  addresses  by  Secre- 
tary Dewey  and  Mr.  Thomas,  and  Appendix  A.  in  this  volume.) 

NEW  JERSEY. 

President  F.  L.  Patton,  of  Princeton,  has  been  one  of  the 
earliest  advocates  of  University  Extension,  and  has  been  strongly 
supported  by  the  faculty  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  many  of 
whose  members  are  lecturing  under  the  auspices  of  the  American 
Society.  More  recently,  Rutgers  College  has  taken  official 
action  in  reference  to  University  Extension  and  established  it  as 
a  department  of  the  College,  with  Professor  Louis  Bevier,  Jr., 
as  secretary.  At  the  meeting  of  the  American  Society  on  No- 
vember 10,  President  Austin  Scott  gave  an  account  of  the 
starting  of  the  work  under  the  impulse  of  the  success  gained  at 
Philadelphia  and  other  places.  On  November  16,  Rutgers 
College  issued  a  circular  calling  the  attention  of  the  people  of 
the  State  to  the  Extension  lectures  offered  under  its  auspices. 
These  include  courses  on  Agriculture,  by  Professor  Edward  B. 


1 68     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Voorhees;  The  English  Language,  by  Professor  Louis  Bevier, 
Jr. ;  Physics,  by  Professor  Frank  C.  VanDyke ;  Chemistry,  by 
Professor  Peter  T.  Austin ;  Botany,  by  Professor  Byron  D.  Hal- 
stead  ;  Entomology,  by  Professor  J.  T.  Smith ;  Biology,  by  Pro- 
fessor Julius  Nelson;  Astronomy,  by  Professor  Robert  W. 
Prentiss;  and  Practical  Questions  on  Political  Economy,  by 
Professor  Edward  L.  Stevenson.  The  full  course  consists  of 
twelve  weekly  lectures,  the  cost  of  which,  including  lecturer's  fee, 
travelling  expenses,  printing  and  incidentals,  is  about  four  hun- 
dred dollars.  Professor  Bevier  submitted  this  as  his  report  to 
the  National  Conference,  laying  especial  emphasis  on  the  charac- 
ter of  Rutgers  as  a  "  State  College  for  the  benefit  of  Agriculture 
and  Mechanic  Arts,"  and  calling  attention  to  the  special  scien- 
tific nature  of  the  courses  offered. 

For  other  Extension  work  in  New  Jersey,  see  "The  First  Annual 
Report  of  the  American  Society." 

DELAWARE. 

University  Extension  work  in  Delaware  has  been  under  the 
direct  supervision  of  the  American  Society,  and  a  report  of  it 
will  be  found  under  the  heading — "  The  First  Annual  Report 
of  the  American  Society." 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  work  of  University  Extension  in  Pennsylvania  has  been 
part  of  the  general  object  lesson  of  the  American  Society  and  is 
reported  under  "The  First  Annual  Report  of  the  American 
Society." 

MARYLAND. 

Much  work  of  a  pioneer  nature  has  been  done  for  University 
Extension  by  men  connected  with  Johns  Hopkins  University. 
Professor  H.  B.  Adams  is  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  vigorous 
champions  of  the  system.  In  connection  with  Johns  Hopkins, 
courses  of  public  lectures  have  been  given  in  Baltimore  for  several 
years,  and,  although  these  have  not  been  characterized  by  a  full 
application  of  the  system,  they  have  been  of  great  help  in  lead- 


Virginia.  169 

ing  gradually  to  it.     Extension  centres  are  being  now  organized 
in  several  towns  by  the  American  Society. 


VIRGINIA. 

From  Virginia,  President  H.  McDiarmid,  of  Bethany  College, 
and  President  W.  W.  Smith,  of  Randolph-Macon  College,  were 
present  at  the  National  Conference  to  show  their  interest  in  the 
work  and  their  earnest  desire  for  its  advance.  The  first  centre 
established  in  the  State  was  that  at  Winchester,  from  which  the 
secretary,  W.  Roy  Stephenson,  sends  the  following  account :  . 

"In  October,  1891,  Mr.  W.  Roy  Stephenson,  of  the  Winches- 
ter, Va.,  bar,  set  to  work  to  organize  and  put  in  operation  a 
branch  of  the  University  Extension  Society,  and  wrote  first  to 
Professor  H.  B.  Adams,  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  and 
afterwards  called  upon  Professor  Adams  in  Baltimore  to  obtain  his 
advice  as  to  the  best  plan  for  a  society  in  Winchester  to  adopt, 
and  to  secure  Professor  Adams  or  some  other  member  of  the 
Johns  Hopkins  University  to  deliver  the  first  course  of  lectures. 
Professor  Adams  gave  all  encouragement,  but  was  unable  to  de- 
liver a  course  himself,  or  suggest  any  one  for  the  purpose.  Mem- 
bers of  the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Virginia  were  also 
written  to  by  Mr.  Stephenson  to  the  same  end,  and  with  the 
same  result.  He  then  wrote  to  Mr.  Walter  C.  Douglas,  of  Phil- 
adelphia, and  to  Professor  W.  D.  Cabell,  and  Professor  J.  H. 
Gore,  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  on  the  subject. 

"  Mr.  Douglas  promptly  replied  and  referred  the  matter  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  American  Society,  Mr.  George  Henderson,  and 
in  a  short  time  the  correspondence  between  Mr.  Henderson  and 
Mr.  Stephenson  led  to  the  engagement  of  a  lecturer  from  Phila- 
delphia. 

"  On  November  24,  1891,  a  meeting  called  by  several  gentlemen 
by  publication  of  a  notice  in  the  town  papers  of  such  persons  as 
might  take  an  interest  in  the  subject  of  education  was  held  at 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  rooms  in  Winchester,  Va.,  and  Professor  J.  H. 
Gore,  who  is  the  secretary  of  the  Washington,  D.  C.,  Society 
for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching,  was  kindly  present, 


I/O     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

by  the  request  of  Mr.  Stephenson,  and  delivered  a  well-consid- 
ered and  most  interesting  exposition  to  the  audience. 

"The  Executive  Committee  then  invited  voluntary  subscrip- 
tions to  a  guarantee  fund  of  two  hundred  dollars  to  cover  the  ex- 
pense of  the  first  course  of  lectures,  to  be  paid,  in  whole,  or  part, 
in  case  the  public  did  not  buy  tickets  enough  to  defray  the  cost 
thereof,  and  twenty  gentlemen  promptly  responded,  and  more 
would  doubtless  have  done  so,  if  desired.  The  Executive  Com- 
mittee thereupon  directed  the  secretary  to  arrange  for  a  course 
of  lectures  to  begin  at  once,  and  accordingly  Professor  Henry 
W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  was  engaged  to 
give  a  course  on  English  literature.  The  tickets  for  the  course 
have  been  sold  for  one  dollar,  and  tickets  for  a  single  lecture  for 
twenty-five  cents.  The  audience  has  been  largely  composed  of 
school-girls,  there  being  three  large  female  seminaries  in  Win- 
chester, the  Principals  of  which  gladly  embraced  the  opportunity 
to  give  their  pupils  the  unusual  advantages  of  the  course ;  in 
addition,  a  number  of  tickets  to  this  first  course  was  given  by  the 
Executive  Committee  to  persons  scarcely  able  to  buy  them,  but 
who  were  considered  apt  to  appreciate  and  take  an  interest  in  the 
society,  but  these  gifts  were  judiciously  distributed. 

"The  class-work  after  each  lecture  has  called  forth  from  mem- 
bers of  the  audience  some  excellent  discourses  upon  the  subject 
of  the  lecture.  It  is  fair  to  say  that  the  Winchester  Society  is  a 
success,  and  its  outlook  promises  much  useful  work  and  large 
benefits  resulting  therefrom  to  the  community.  An  effort  has 
been  made  by  the  gentlemen  managing  the  Winchester  Society 
to  arrange  for  the  organization  of  a  circuit  of  centres  to  include 
Frederick  and  Hagerstown  in  Maryland,  Martinsburg  and  Charles- 
town  in  West  Virginia,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  Winchester,  Va.  Such 
an  arrangement  would  be  very  advantageous  to  all,  because  of 
the  easy  access  and  proximity  of  these  towns  to  each  other." 

WEST  VIRGINIA. 

Professor  Howard  N.  Ogden,  of  the  University  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, presented  to  the  Conference  a  report  of  the  founding  of 
the  West  Virginia  Society. 


West  Virginia.  171 

"  In  West  Virginia,  we  have  the  State  University  at  Morgan- 
town,  Bethany  College  at  Bethany,  six  State  Normal  Schools,  in 
which  the  chief  instructors  are  graduates  of  the  University,  and 
some  twenty  or  more  academies,  seminaries,  colleges,  and  town 
high  schools,  doing  satisfactory  preparatory  and  secondary  work. 

"  The  members  of  the  faculty  of  the  State  University  interested 
in  Extension  teaching  thought  it  best  for  the  cause  to  organize  a 
voluntary  society,  which  should  embrace  in  its  membership  in- 
structors from  all  the  institutions  for  higher  and  secondary  edu- 
cation in  the  State,  and  others  taking  a  general  interest  in  the 
movement. 

"  With  this  view  the  West  Virginia  Society  for  Extension  Teach- 
ing was  organized,  chiefly  by  the  professors  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity, some  six  weeks  ago. 

"  Members  of  the  faculties  of  Bethany  College  and  of  a  large 
number  of  other  schools  have  signified  their  intention  to  join 
with  us  in  the  work  locally  and  some  as  lecturers. 

"  Some  three  weeks  ago  the  Society  published  a  preliminary 
statement  of  the  lecturers  and  courses  offered,  which  has  been 
widely  distributed  and  favorably  received.  This  circular  con- 
tains the  names  of  twelve  lecturers,  who  offer  an  aggregate  of 
thirty-five  different  courses. 

"As  yet,  we  have  not  formally  organized  local  centres,  prefer- 
ring that  such  organizations  shall  come  as  the  spontaneous  after- 
growth of  a  healthy  local  interest.  The  plan  of  operations  adopted 
by  the  Society  for  the  next  half-year  is  briefly  this :  to  send  one 
or  more  of  its  teaching  staff  to  some  ten  or  twelve  of  the  most 
favorable  points  for  the  establishment  of  local  centres,  and  there 
give  experimental  courses  of  six  lectures  each,  conforming  as 
closely  as  possible  to  the  best  methods  of  Extension  teaching,  as 
object-lessons,  illustrating  the  results  and  purposes  of  the  move- 
ment. This  work  will  begin  early  in  January. 

"  Another  feature  of  our  work  in  West  Virginia  requires  special 
mention.  The  members  of  the  staff  of  the  Agricultural  Experi- 
mental Station,  which  is  connected  with  the  University,  have 
been  lecturing  to  the  farmers  of  the  State  for  some  two  years 
past  and  organizing  what  they  call  local  Farmers'  Institute  Socie- 


172     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

ties.  The  State  Board  of  Agriculture  has  also  recently  under- 
taken similar  work.  Now,  it  is  a  fortunate  coincidence,  that  the 
members  of  the  Station  staff  and  the  President  of  the  State  Board 
of  Agriculture  are  also  members  of  the  University  Extension 
Society,  and  they  are  now  seriously  considering  the  policy  of  re- 
organizing these  Farmers'  Institute  Societies  into  local  University 
Extension  centres,  and  conforming  their  lecture  system,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  Extension  methods.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore, 
that,  in  addition  to  the  educational  influences  of  Extension 
teaching  upon  those  who  attend  the  lectures,  we  have  some  col- 
lateral objects  in  view  which  we  regard  as  of  very  great  impor- 
tance. The  West  Virginia  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University 
Teaching  hopes  (i)  to  become  the  means  of  harmonizing  and 
unifying  the  methods,  standards,  and  interests  of  higher  educa- 
tion in  the  State ;  (2)  to  connect  more  closely  the  public  free 
schools  with  the  institutions  for  higher  learning,  and  (3)  to  dis- 
seminate correct  notions  of  the  methods  of  true  University 
teaching  for  adults,  and  to  arouse  an  abiding  popular  interest  in 
the  subject-matters  of  University  education. 

"We  have  entered  upon  the  work  seriously  and  deliberately. 
We  desire  to  accomplish  permanent  and  not  merely  temporary 
results.  It  will  require  several  years  to  bring  all  the  towns  of 
the  State  under  the  influence  of  the  movement.  Our  first  pur- 
pose is  fully  to  explain  and  exemplify  Extension  teaching  by 
experimental  courses,  and  thereby  stimulate  the  local  community 
to  take  the  initiative  in  the  organization  and  endowment  of  a 
permanent  local  centre.  We  are  also  seeking  to  adapt  our 
courses  as  closely  as  possible,  both  in  method  and  subject-matter, 
to  the  preferences  and  peculiar  needs  of  our  people. 

"Upon  these  lines  we  are  assured  of  a  measurable  degree  of 
success,  and  we  may  look  for  substantial  recognition  of  the  merit 
of  Extension  teaching  by  the  University  and  local  colleges. 
The  inauguration  of  a  system  of  State  examinations  under  the 
direction  of  the  University  faculty,  or  other  State  authority,  is 
contemplated,  and  ultimately  we  may  obtain  State  aid,  and 
thereby  incorporate  University  Extension  teaching  as  a  permanent 
feature  of  the  educational  system  of  the  State." 


Georgia.  173 


GEORGIA. 

The  first  step  in  the  introduction  of  University  Extension  into 
the  State  of  Georgia  was  taken  on  December  7,  at  Atlanta, 
where  a  preliminary  meeting  was  addressed  by  Professor  H.  C. 
White,  of  the  University  of  Georgia.  As  a  result  of  this  meet- 
ing, a  series  of  courses  was  arranged  by  the  directors  of  the 
Young  Men's  Library  Association  in  Atlanta.  The  faculty  of 
the  State  University  has  cordially  co-operated  with  the  Library 
Association,  and  has  agreed  to  provide  the  lecturers  and  teachers, 
and  to  arrange  for  the  subjects  and  dates  of  the  lectures.  These 
matters  have  therefore  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  University 
faculty,  who  will  provide  that  the  courses  shall  be  genuinely 
educative,  and  as  exhaustive  of  the  special  topics  selected  as  the 
time  allowed  will  permit.  The  members  of  the  faculty  have 
generously  declined  to  receive  any  compensation  for  their  ser- 
vices, being  animated  solely  by  the  desire  to  popularize  higher 
education,  and  to  extend  its  benefits  as  widely  as  possible. 

The  business  arrangements  are  in  charge  of  a  special  com- 
mittee of  the  Young  Men's  Library  Association,  made  up  of  the 
following  gentlemen  :  W.  G.  Cooper,  Will  Haight,  F.  H.  Rich- 
ardson, A.  V.  Gude,  W.  M.  Slaton,  I.  S.  Hopkins.  Certain 
necessary  expenses  will  be  incurred  in  the  payment  of  travelling 
expenses,  in  printing  syllabuses  of  the  lectures,  etc.,  and  it  is 
proposed  to  meet  these  by  a  small  charge  for  attendance  upon 
the  lectures. 

For  the  present  season  six  courses  of  six  lectures  each  have 
been  arranged,  as  detailed  below.  The  class  for  each  course  will 
be  regularly  enrolled.  There  will  be  no  recitations,  but  at  the 
conclusion  of  each  lecture  the  lecturer  will  hold  an  informal 
conference  with  the  class  for  elucidation  of  any  points  that  may 
be  desired.  The  books  of  reference  which  it  may  be  proper  to 
consult  in  connection  with  the  lectures  will,  for  the  most  part, 
be  found  on  the  shelves  of  the  Young  Men's  Library. 

The  lectures  will  be  given  in  the  halls  of  the  library  building. 
The  fee  for  each  course  of  six  lectures  has  been  fixed  for  the 


174     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

present  at  one  dollar,  or  five  dollars  for  the  whole  series  of 
thirty-six. 

SCHEDULE   OF   LECTURES. 

MENTAL    SCIENCE. 

1.  Friday  evenings,  December  n,  18;  January  8,  15,  22,  and 
29.     Six  lectures  on  Mental  Science,  by  Rev.  William  E.  Boggs, 
D.D.,  LL.D.,  Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Georgia. 

These  lectures  will  give  some  account  of  the  science  and  its 
subjects,  the  human  mind  or  soul,  together  with  an  outline  of 
the  great  powers  of  self-consciousness,  sense-perception,  and 
memory,  together  with  a  brief  view  of  the  imagination,  if  time 
can  be  found  for  this  faculty. 

COURSE   ON   BIOLOGY. 

2.  Monday  evenings,  December  14,   21;  January  4,   n,  18, 
25.     Six  lectures  on  Biology,  by  John  P.  Campbell,  A.B.,  Ph.D., 
Professor  of  Biology,  University  of  Georgia. 

This  course  is  designed  to  present  in  detail  a  sufficient  number 
of  living  things  to  give  broader  conceptions  of  the  terms  plant 
and  animal,  than  those  generally  held.  The  types  chosen  will 
be  mainly  microscopic  forms,  because  in  these  life  is  exhibited 
without  any  of  the  complications  found  in  higher  and  more 
familiar  plants  and  animals.  From  these  the  attempt  will  be 
made  to  proceed  inductively  to  some  of  the  fundamental  prop- 
erties of  living  things,  and  show  as  far  as  possible  the  exact  basis 
upon  which  rests  some  of  the  now  accepted  theories  of  biology. 

ROMAN   LAW   AND   JURISPRUDENCE. 

3.  Monday  evenings,  February  i,  8,   15,   22,   29;  March  7. 
Six  lectures  on  the  History  of  Roman  Law  and  Jurisprudence,  by 
J.  H.  T.  MacPherson,  Ph.D.,  Professor  of  History  and  Political 
Science,  University  of  Georgia. 

This  course  will  open  with  a  description  of  the  nature  of  the 
primitive  Roman  state  and  early  legal  institutions,  and  will  trace 
the  progress  and  development  of  the  Roman  law  through  all  its 
stages  down  to  the  codification  of  Justiman.  Special  attention 


Georgia.  175 

will  be  paid  to  the  sources  of  Roman  law,  and  to  the  gradual 
development  and  continuity  of  Roman  legal  and  political  insti- 
tutions. The  influence  of  Roman  codes  during  the  middle  ages 
will  be  briefly  sketched,  and  the  influence  of  Roman  law  as  the 
basis  and  goal  of  modern  continental  systems  emphasized. 

THE    GREEK   DRAMA. 

4.  Friday  evenings,  February  5,   12,   19,   26;  March  4,   n. 
Six  lectures  on  the  Greek  Drama,  with  readings  from  the  "  Al- 
cestis"  of  Euripides,  by  Willis  H.  Bocock,  A.M.,  Professor  of 
Ancient  Languages,  University  of  Georgia. 

Some  account  will  be  given  of  the  probable  origin  of  tragedy, 
of  its  development  into  drama,  and  of  its  perfection  in  the  hands 
of  ^Eschylus,  Sophocles,  and  Euripides.  The  Greek  theatre  will 
be  described,  and  the  methods  of  producing  plays  will  be  ex- 
plained. The  lecturer  will  sketch  the  career  of  Euripides,  give 
the  story  of  "  Alcestis"  in  outline,  explain  the  peculiar  character 
of  the  play,  and  will  read  the  play  in  English  with  comments, 
using  mainly  Browning's  "  Balaustion's  Adventure"  with  his 
own  translation  of  selected  parts. 

BUILDING   MATERIAL. 

5.  Monday  evenings,  March  14,  21,  28;  April  4,  n,  18.     Six 
lectures  on  Building  Materials,  by  Charles  M.  Strahan,  C.E.  and 
M.E.,  Professor  of  Engineering,  University  of  Georgia. 

This  course  will  be  addressed  primarily  to  workingmen  and  to 
others  interested  directly  or  indirectly  in  the  building  arts.  Its 
aim  will  be  to  present  the  properties  of  the  principal  building 
materials,  and  to  discuss  the  conditions  connected  with  their 
economic  employment  and  preservation  from  decay. 

ENGLISH   LANGUAGE   AND   LITERATURE. 

6.  Friday  evenings,  March  18,  25;  April  i,  8,   15,   22.     Six 
lectures  on  the  English  Language  and  its  Literature,  by  Charles 
Morris,  M.A.,  Professor  of  English,  University  of  Georgia. 

The  aim  of  these  lectures  will  be,  from  an  examination  of  the 
language,  its  sources,  and  history,  its  matter,  forms  and  struct- 


1 76     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

lire  to  ascertain  its  rank  among  literary  tongues,  and  to  show  its 
power  and  adaptability  to  the  highest  forms  of  literary  art  as 
witnessed  in  its  literature. 

It  will  be  observed  that  two  lectures  are  given  each  week, 
thereby  carrying  forward  two  courses  at  once.  The  first  two 
are  on  mental  science  and  biology. 

LOUISIANA. 

In  Louisiana,  President  William  Preston  Johnston,  of  Tulane 
University,  has  been  an  earnest  writer  and  eloquent  speaker  in 
behalf  of  University  Extension.* 

In  many  special  lines  Tulane  University  has  offered  its  advan- 
tages to  the  people  of  New  Orleans ;  public  courses  have  been 
given  on  various  subjects,  and  special  opportunities  afforded  in 
technical  instruction.  Through  the  influence  of  President  John- 
ston much  has  been  accomplished,  and  this  work  has  been  re- 
organized into  Extension  teaching,  properly  so  called.  The  Uni- 
versity has  issued  an  announcement  of  Extension  courses,  the 
list  including  English  Language  and  Literature,  by  Professor 
Robert  Sharp  ;  English  History,  by  Professor  John  R.  Ficklen ; 
Le  Drame  en  France,  by  Professor  Alc6e  Fortier ;  Psychology, 
by  Professor  Brandt  V.  B.  Dixon ;  Chemistry,  by  Professor  John 
M.  Ordway;  Electricity  and  Magnetism,  by  Professor  Brown 
Ayers ;  Mathematics,  by  Professor  J.  L.  Cross. 

TENNESSEE. 

Professor  Edward  W.  Bemis,  of  Vanderbilt  University,  one 
of  the  earliest  Extension  lecturers  of  America,  and  the  one  who 
gave  the  first  course  ever  given  in  New  York  State,  at  Buffalo, 
and  the  first  one  ever  given  in  Missouri,  at  St.  Louis,  submitted 
to  the  National  Conference  a  sketch  of  University  Extension  in 
Tennessee.  "Because  of  the  lack  of  public  libraries  and  of 
many  public-spirited  men  of  wealth,  the  University  Extension 
movement  will  have  a  far  slower  growth  in  the  South  than  in  the 

*  See  his  article  in  University  Extension,  September,  1891,  on  "Uni- 
versity Extension  in  the  South." 


Tennessee — Kentucky.  177 

North.  For  these  reasons  I  have  found  it  hard  to  do  very  much 
Extension  work  here.  The  institutions  of  learning  also  have  in- 
sufficient endowment  for  travelling  libraries  and  aid  by  lecturers. 
A  few  cities,  however,  in  Tennessee  and  in  the  Gulf  States  will, 
I  think,  be  led  in  a  year  or  two  to  take  hold  of  the  movement 
in  co-operation  with  Vanderbilt  University  and  other  Southern 
institutions. 

"  I  am  nearly  through  a  very  successful  course  of  Economic 
lectures  at  Evansville,  Ind.,  where  the  full  system,  including 
syllabus,  class-work  and  exercises,  has  been  in  operation.  A 
succeeding  course,  for  which  two  hundred  have  already  taken 
course  tickets,  is  to  be  given  by  President  Coulter,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Indiana,  on  Botany.  I  shall  give  the  same  course  in 
Louisville,  Ky.,  and  Nashville,  Tenn.,  at  an  early  date. 

"  Until  some  money  can  be  secured  for  good  travelling  libra- 
ries, however,  I  do  not  look  forward  to  much  solid  study  on  the 
part  of  the  people  who  attend  Extension  courses.  In  the  South 
good  public  libraries  are  very  few  in  number,  and  it  is  accord- 
ingly much  more  difficult  to  obtain  the  necessary  reference-books 
for  students.  I  have  the  greatest  interest  in  the  work,  an  interest 
which  is  shared  by  the  most  progressive  and  influential  of  the 
college  men  in  the  South.'* 

KENTUCKY. 

In  Kentucky,  the  beginning  of  University  Extension  was  due 
to  the  Teachers'  Association  in  Louisville,  which,  in  May,  1891, 
appointed  a  committee,  of  which  W.  O.  Cross  was  chairman,  and 
E.  H.  Mark,  Hiram  Roberts,  and  W.  H.  Bartholomew  were 
members.  In  accordance  with  recommendations  of  this  com- 
mittee, President  J.  M.  Coulter,  of  Indiana  University,  was 
secured  to  open  the  work  in  September,  1891.  President  Coulter 
lectured  on  botany,  while  Professor  O.  B.  Clark,  of  the  same 
University,  was  engaged  to  lecture  on  literature.  The  larger 
part  of  the  audience  was  composed  of  teachers,  but  all  persons 
who  desired  to  follow  the  course  were  heartily  welcomed.  From 
the  first  the  following  classes  were  noticed  in  the  audience: 
those  who  helped  forward  the  cause  by  their  contributions  and 


1/8     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

occasional  presence ;  those  who  attended  regularly,  but  had  no 
time  for  further  work ;  and  lastly,  those  who  followed  the  work 
closely  as  outlined  in, the  syllabus,  and  prepared  the  exercises 
therein  contained  with  a  view  to  passing  the  final  examination. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  the  lectures  that  have  been  given  by 
the  Polytechnic  Society  have  been  somewhat  on  the  University 
Extension  plan.  About  a  year  ago  Dr.  James  Lewis  Howe  de- 
cided to  modify  the  work,  so  as  to  bring  it  within  the  regular 
line  of  University  Extension.  After  passing  the  summer  of  1891 
in  the  study  of  the  system  as  developed  in  the  East,  he  entered 
with  the  approval  of  the  American  Society  actively  upon  the 
work,  giving  courses  of  lectures  on  chemistry  in  the  Polytechnic 
lecture-room  on  Friday  afternoons.  The  lectures  were  illustrated 
by  experiments  and  have  interested  many  in  the  study  of  science. 
On  February  n,  the  opening  lecture  of  a  course  on  economics 
will  be  given  by  Dr.  Edward  W.  Bemis,  of  Vanderbilt  Uni- 
versity. The  lectures  are  to  be  given  at  Hampton  College  under 
the  auspices  of  the  local  centre  of  University  Extension.  Dr. 
Bemis  is  under  engagement  to  deliver  the  same  course  at  Frank- 
fort and  Lexington. 

Much  interest  has  been  manifested  in  University  Extension  in 
various  parts  of  the  State,  and  centres  will  doubtless  be  established 
in  several  places  during  the  current  year.  The  development  of 
the  work  in  Kentucky  is  impeded  not  only  by  the  absence  of 
good  public  libraries,  but  also  by  inadequate  railway  facilities 
and  the  lack  of  men  fitted  to  do  the  work.  At  present  the 
latter  difficulty  is  overcome  by  calling  distinguished  men  from 
the  higher  institutions  of  neighboring  States.  The  question  of 
lecturers,  fundamental  everywhere,  is  especially  difficult  under 
such  conditions,  and  the  future  of  the  movement  will  depend 
largely  on  the  possibility  of  training  good  lecturers  from  the 
excellent  material  which  certainly  exists  among  the  educators  of 
the  State. 

OHIO. 

The  University  of  Cincinnati  was  the  first  to  undertake  sys- 
tematic Extension  teaching  in  Ohio.*  The  interest  of  other 

*  See  W.  O.  Sproull,  University  Extension  in  Cincinnati,  page  144. 


Ohio.  1 79 

universities  has  been  rapidly  attracted  to  this  subject.  An  im- 
portant meeting  was  held  in  Columbus,  on  January  21,  1892, 
looking  toward  the  organization  of  a  State  Extension  Society. 
There  were  present:  President  Stubbs,  of  Baldwin;  Professor 
Scott,  of  Ohio  State ;  President  Zollers,  of  Hiram ;  President 
Sanders,  of  Otterbein ;  President  Marsh,  of  Mt.  Union  ;  Pro- 
fessor W.  A.  Merrill,  of  Miami ;  and  Professor  C.  B.  Austin,  of 
Ohio  Wesleyan.  Communications  were  read  from  the  Presidents 
of  Oberlin,  Adelbert,  Buchtel  Colleges,  and  Ohio  and  Denison 
Universities,  all  favorable  to  the  movement.  After  a  careful 
discussion  of  the  relation  of  the  college  to  this  movement,  and 
of  the  best  methods  of  organization,  it  was  resolved  to  form  the 
Ohio  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching.  The 
membership  is  to  comprise  the  faculties  of  the  various  Ohio  col- 
leges and  such  other  persons  as  they  may  deem  proper  to  elect. 
The  management  is  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  Board  of  Councillors, 
of  which  there  will  be  one  member  for  each  college.  Friends 
of  University  Extension  look  forward  with  confidence  to  the 
establishment  of  such  a  society  in  each  State  of  the  Union.  At 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Ohio  State  Teachers'  Association,  and 
the  Ohio  College  Association  during  the  Christmas  holidays,  the 
movement  of  University  Extension  was  thoroughly  discussed  and 
received  the  hearty  endorsement  of  the  leaders,  both  in  primary 
secondary,  and  higher  education. 

President  D.  B.  Puriton,  of  Denison  University,  reported  at 
the  National  Conference  the  establishment  by  that  institution 
of  a  University  Extension  centre  at  Newark,  Ohio,  a  manufac- 
turing town  of  some  eighteen  or  twenty  thousand  inhabitants. 
Superintendent  Hartzler,  of  the  City  Schools,  is  president  of 
the  local  organization,  and  Principal  Swartz,  of  the  High  School, 
is  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  class  numbers  more  than  two  hun- 
dred; of  this  number  fifty  are  city  teachers,  about  twenty  are  pupils 
of  the  High  School,  and  the  remainder  are  ministers,  lawyers, 
physicians,  business-men,  mechanics,  and  laborers.  Courses  are 
given  in  economics,  electricity,  literature,  and  psychology. 
The  lecturers  are  R.  S.  Col  well,  D.D.,  J.  D.  S.  Riggs,  Ph.D.,  A. 
D.  Cole,  A.M.,  and  D.  B.  Purinton,  LL.D., — all  members  of 


i8o     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

the  faculty  of  Denison  University.  The  courses  are  not  yet 
completed.  Thus  far  they  are  eminently  successful.  The  in- 
terest is  universal  and  well  sustained  in  psychology,  as  well  as  the 
more  practical  subjects.  The  notes,  taken  with  great  care  and 
accuracy  considering  the  varied  elements  in  the  class,  and  the 
general  quiz,  are  features  of  value  and  importance.  Already 
the  local  centre  is  looking  forward  to  the  second  course  in  the 
winter  of  1892-93.  The  work  as  a  whole  is  very  gratifying 
and  encouraging.  Other  centres  will  be  established  in  the  near 
future. 

President  Charles  W.  Super  represented  the  Ohio  University 
at  the  National  Conference.  Many  courses  have  been  arranged 
by  the  professors  of  that  faculty,  and  some  have  been  given  with 
entire  success  in  different  parts  of  the  State. 

Professor  W.  A.  Merrill,  who  was  the  delegate  of  Miami  Uni- 
versity at  the  Conference,  expressed  the  hearty  sympathy  of  that 
faculty  with  the  University  Extension  movement,  and  spoke  of 
the  careful  thought  that  is  being  given  to  the  inauguration  of  the 
work  in  his  section 

At  Toledo  one  of  the  strongest  Extension  societies  of  the 
country  was  established  on  December  15,  1891.  The  move- 
ment owes  its  inception  there  to  the  energy  and  influence  of 
Superintendent  W.  W.  Compton,  who  was  chosen  president  of 
the  society;  the  secretary  is  Miss  Mary  Smead,  one  of  the 
teachers  of  the  city ;  the  treasurer  is  Colonel  D.  Isaac  Smead. 
The  Executive  Committee  is  composed  of  Superintendent  Comp- 
ton, Miss  Emily  Bouton,  Professor  H.  C.  Adams,  Rev.  Dr.  J. 
A.  McGaw,  and  Mr.  W.  S.  Daly.  The  following  courses  of  six 
lectures  each  have  been  arranged,  to  be  given  in  succession: 
"Economics,"  by  Professor  H.  C.  Adams,  of  the  University  of 
Michigan;  "English  Literature,"  by  Professor  Isaac  N.  Dem- 
mon,  of  the  University  of  Michigan;  "Geology,"  by  Professor 
G.  Frederick  Wright,  of  Oberlin  University.  The  first  course 
by  Professor  Adams  was  begun  on  January  12.  Additional 
courses  in  chemistry  and  physics  have  also  been  announced. 

At  Cleveland  the  first  step  toward  the  establishment  of  a  Uni- 
versity Extension  society  was  due  to  the  influence  of  President 


Ohio.  181 

Charles  F.  Thwing,  of  Adalbert  College,  one  of  the  Advisory 
Committee  of  the  American  Society.  A  meeting  was  held 
early  in  December  at  the  rooms  of  the  Broadway  Branch  of 
the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject. Miss  Emma  Perkins  read  a  paper  setting  forth  clearly  the 
aims  and  methods  of  the  American  Society,  and  describing  the 
development  of  the  movement  in  England  and  America.  On 
December  14,  the  Cleveland  Society  for  University  Extension 
was  incorporated.  The  officers  of  the  society  are :  President, 
Hon.  Samuel  E.  Williamson  \  Vice-President,  General  M.  D. 
Leggett;  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  Charles  F. 
Thwing,  President  of  Adelbert  College  and  of  Western  Reserve 
University ;  Secretary,  Emerson  O.  Stevens ;  Treasurer,  Charles 
J.  Dockstader.  The  office  of  the  society  is  at  Adelbert  College. 
The  membership  numbers  now  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  of  the  foremost  educational,  professional,  and  business  men 
of  the  city.  The  society  offers  twenty-three  courses  of  study, 
and  has  issued  a  neat  pamphlet  giving  a  full  description  of  the 
following  courses: 

I.  Architecture. — President  Cady  Staley,  Case  School  of  Ap- 
plied Science.      Ten  lectures. 

II.  Theories  of  the  Drama  in  France. — Professor  Frederick 
M.  Warner,  Adelbert  College. 

III. — Experimental  Mechanics. — Professor  Charles  H.  Benja- 
min, Case  School  of  Applied  Science. 

IV.  American  History. — Professor  Edward  G.  Bourne,  Adel- 
bert College. 

V.  Physics:   i.  Terrestrial  Physics;  2.  Electricity  and  Mag- 
netism. —  Professor  Harry  F.   Reid,   Case   School   of  Applied 
Science. 

VI.  Greek  Antiquities. — Professor  Abraham  L.  Fuller,  College 
for  Women  of  Western  Reserve  University.     Might  lectures. 

VII.  Astronomy    i.  Descriptive  Astronomy ;  2.  Study  of  the 
Constellations. — Professor  Charles  S.  Howe,  Case  School  of  Ap- 
plied Science. 

VIII.  Biology.— Francis  H.  Herrick,  Adelbert  College.    Five 
lectures. 


1 82     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

IX.  Sound. — Professor  Frank  P.  Whitman,  Adelbert  College. 
Seven  lectures. 

X.  Roman  Archaeology. — Professor  Samuel  B.  Plainer,  Adel- 
bert College. 

XL  English  Literature  :  i.  Shakespeare  and  his  Contempora- 
ries; 2.  English  Literature  of  the  Eighteenth  Century ;  3.  Eng- 
lish Prose  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century ;  4.  Carlyle. — 
Mr.  Curtis  H.  Page,  College  for  Women  of  Western  Reserve 
University. 

XII.  French.— Mr.  Curtis  H.  Page,  College  for  Women  of 
Western  Reserve  University. 

XIII.  Chemistry. — Two   courses   by   Professor   Edward   W. 
Morley,  of  Adelbert  College,  and  Professor  Albert  W.  Smith,  of 
the  Case  School  of  Applied  Science. 

Eleven  courses  have  been  formed  in  different  parts  of  the 
city,  and  there  are  already  over  six  hundred  students.  Other 
classes  are  being  formed  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

INDIANA. 

Professor  James  A.  Woodburn,  Ph.D.,  of  the  University  of  Indiana,  read 
the  following  report : 

The  Indiana  Branch  of  Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnse 
formed  the  first  centre  for  the  Extension  of  University  teaching 
in  Indiana.  The  members  of  this  association  in  Indiana  or- 
ganized a  committee  on  University  Extension  in  the  winter  of 
1890,  with  Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall  chairman,  and  Miss  Amelia 
W.  Platter  secretary.  Miss  Harriet  Noble,  Miss  Julia  Moore, 
Miss  Rose  Baldwin,  all  of  Indianapolis,  were  the  other  members 
of  the  committee.  This  committee,  in  the  winter  of  1890, 
wrote  both  to  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  and  the  Michigan 
University,  making  application  for  a  lecturer  in  political  econ- 
omy. By  recommendation  from  these  institutions,  and  from 
other  sources,  the  committee  learned  that  their  prophet  for  eco- 
nomic teaching  was  in  their  own  country,  at  their  own  doors. 
Following  the  suggestions  of  these  recommendations,  the  com- 
mittee invited  Dr.  Jeremiah  W.  Jenks,  Professor  of  Social  and 


Indiana.  183 

Economic  Science  in  Indiana  University,  to  give  a  course  of 
twelve  lectures  in  the  elements  of  political  economy.  The 
course  was  a  decided  success.  The  Alumnae  committee  deter- 
mined to  continue  the  study  of  political  economy  and  social 
science  the  following  year,  and  to  add  a  course  on  American 
history. 

As  a  result  of  this  evidence  of  a  present  demand  within  the 
State,  and  of  a  growing  public  interest  in  the  cause  of  Extension 
teaching,  the  faculty  of  Indiana  University,  at  a  meeting  in  June, 
1891,  called  especially  to  consider  the  subject,  appointed  a  com- 
mittee on  University  Extension.  This  standing  committee  con- 
sists of  Professor  Ernest  W.  Huffcut,  chairman,  Professor  Orrin 
B.  Clark,  and  Professor  E.  A.  Ross.  The  work  of  the  committee 
has  consisted  chiefly  in  circulating  information,  answering  cor- 
respondence, collecting  and  publishing  literature  on  the  subject 
of  University  Extension. 

Soon  after  its  organization,  the  committee  issued  Extension 
Circular  No.  i,  setting  forth  the  purpose  and  methods  of  Exten- 
sion work,  and  announcing  the  University  departments  from 
which  Extension  instruction  might  be  obtained.  Two  months 
later  the  University  issued,  under  the  direction  of  this  com- 
mittee, "  Circular  No.  2,"  setting  forth  the  offer  of  the  following 
lectures  and  courses  : 


LECTURES   AND    COURSES   FOR    1891-92. 

I.  BOTANY.     President  J.  M.  Coulter. 

General  morphology  and  physiology  of   plants.       Twelve 
lectures. 

II.  ECONOMICS  AND  SOCIAL  SCIENCE.     Professor  E.  A.  Ross. 

1.  Social  and  Economic  Reforms.    A  study  of  co-operation, 
profit-sharing,  the  eight-hour  day,  factory  legislation,  State  arbi- 
tration, postal  telegraphy,   railway  control,  bi-metalism,  tax  re- 
form, municipalism,  and  socialism.     Twelve  lectures. 

2.  Live   Economic  Questions.     A  discussion  of    problems 
relating  to  money,  railroads,  taxation,  rent,  labor,  monopolies, 
interest,  and  immigration.     Eight  lectures. 


184     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

3.  Elements  of  Political  Economy.     A  presentation  of  the 
main  features  of  modern  industrial  life.    Eight  to  twelve  lectures. 

III.  ENGLISH  LITERATURE. 

A.  Professor  O.  B.  Clark. 

1.  The   Development  of  Shakespeare's   Mind   and  Art. 
Six  lectures. 

2.  Chaucer  and  his  Contemporaries.     Six  lectures. 

3.  Robert  Browning.     Six  lectures. 

B.  Mr.  W.  E.  Henry. 

1.  The   Development   of    English    Literature.       Twelve 
lectures. 

2.  Elizabethan  Literature.      Twelve  lectures. 

3.  American  Literature.     Twelve  lectures. 

4.  Emerson  and  Lowell.     Twelve  lectures. 

IV.  FRENCH  LANGUAGE  AND  LITERATURE.    Professor  Edouard 
Baillot. 

1.  The  Pronunciation  of  the  French  Language.     Principles 
and  laws  of  pronunciation  with  special  reference  to  the 
needs  of  teachers.     Twelve  lectures. 

2.  French  literature.     Including  mediaeval  literature  ;   the 
writers  of  the  seventeenth   century  and  their  methods; 
the  Romantic  School ;    and  modern  literature.     Twelve 
lectures. 

V.  GERMANIC  LANGUAGE  AND  LITERATURE  AND  PHILOLOGY. 

A.  Professor  Gustaf  Karsten. 

1 .  The  Origin  and  Change  of  Language.     Six  lectures. 

2.  Fritz  Reuter.      Three  lectures. 

B.  Associate  Professor  Carl  Osthaus. 

i.  Modern  German  Literature  since  Goethe.    Six  lectures. 

VI.  GREEK.     Professor  H.  A.  Hoffman. 

i.  The  Greek  Land  and  People.     Six  lectures,  illustrated 
with  the  stereopticon. 

VII.  HISTORY,  AMERICAN.     Professor  J.  A.  Woodburn. 

i.  American  Political  History,  1776-1832.     Twelve  lectures. 

VIII.  HISTORY,  EUROPEAN.     Professor  G.  E.  Fellows. 

i.  France  under  the  Bourbon  Monarchy;  from  Henry  IV. 
to  the  Revolution.     Six  to  ten  lectures. 


Indiana.  185 

2.  France  under  three  Monarchies  and  three  Republics — 
1789-1889.      Including  the   causes  of  the   Revolution. 
Six  lectures. 

3.  Important  Periods  in  English  History  since  the  Norman 
Invasion.     Six  lectures. 

IX.  LAW.     Professor  E.  W.  Huffcut. 

1 .  Equity  Jurisprudence.     Twelve  lectures. 

2.  American  Constitutional  Law.     Ten  lectures. 

3.  American  International  Relations  and  Diplomacy.     Six 
to  ten  lectures. 

X.  MATHEMATICS.     Professor  R.  L.  Green. 

i.  Helmholtz's  Theory  of  Arithmetic.     Six  lectures. 
XL  PEDAGOGICS.     Professor  R.  G.  Boone. 
i.  The  Science  of  Education.     Ten  lectures. 

XII.  PHYSICS.     Associate  Professor  A.  L.  Foley. 

i .  Electricity  and  its  Applications.     Eight  to  ten  lectures. 

XIII.  RHETORIC  AND  ORATORY.    Professor  G.  W.  Saunderson. 

1.  Oratorical  Delivery :    Its  Practical  and  Scientific  Basis. 

Six  to  ten  lectures. 

2.  The   Principles   of    English   Composition.     Six   to  ten 
lectures. 

It  was  stated  that  the  courses  in  Chemistry  and  Physics  could 
not  well  be  given  away  from  the  University,  owing  to  the  diffi- 
culty of  transporting  the  necessary  apparatus,  but  that  these 
departments  would  receive  special  students  at  any  time  for  labor- 
atory work  in  brief  courses.  The  lectures  were  to  be  given  on 
Friday  evenings,  or  at  some  hour  on  Saturday,  which  would 
permit  the  lecturer's  returning  to  the  University  the  same  day. 

The  expense  of  a  course  of  lectures  was  placed  at  ten  dollars 
per  lecture,  and  the  necessary  expenses  of  the  lecturer,  the  centre 
to  meet  all  the  local  expenses  of  rent,  printing,  etc. 

As  a  result  of  these  announcements  and  in  consequence  of  the 
preceding  years'  experience  in  Indianapolis,  the  University  has 
received  applications  from,  and  has  provided  courses  in,  the  fol- 
lowing centres : 

I.  In  INDIANAPOLIS,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Indiana  Branch 
of  the  Association  of  Collegiate  Alumnae,  two  courses : 


1 86     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

1.  In  American  Political  History  from  1776  to  1832,  by  Pro- 
fessor James  Albert  Woodburn.  * 

2.  In  Social  and  Economic  Reform,  by  Professor  Edward  A. 
Ross.      This  course,  like  the  one  by  Professor  Woodburn  in 
American  history,  is  to  include  twelve  lectures  and  is  to  be  con- 
ducted on  the  same  general  plan.     The  course  is  to  begin  Feb- 
ruary 19,  and    is  to  continue  thereafter  for  twelve  successive 
weeks.     The  subjects  of  Professor  Ross's  lectures  are  as  follows : 

1.  Reform. 

2.  Monetary  Reform. 

3.  Railway  Reform. 

4.  Tax  Reform. 

5.  Agrarian  Reform. 

6.  Labor  Reform— Self  Help. 

7.  Labor  Reform — State  Help. 

8.  Municipal  Reform. 

9.  Socialism — Its  History. 

10.  Socialism — Its  Nature. 

11.  Socialism — Its  Strength. 

12.  Socialism — Its  Weakness. 

II.  In  LOUISVILLE,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Louisville  Teachers' 
Association.  This  Association  has  been  used  to  holding  bi-weekly 
sessions  in  the  Girls'  High  School,  and  it  has  a  membership  of 
over  four  hundred.  In  the  Louisville  centre  two  courses  are 
given : 

i.  In  Elementary  Botany ',  by  President  John  M.  Coulter. 

This  course  comprises  twelve  lectures,  and  embraces  such  in- 
struction as  is  given  in  the  University  to  a  beginning  class  in 
botany.  The  subject  under  development  in  the  course  is  "The 
Evolution  of  the  Plant  Kingdom,"  considering  this  evolution 
from  the  lowest  form  up.  The  course  is  designed  as  merely  an 
outline  course  in  general  morphology. 

There  are  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  enrolled  in  this  class. 
The  class  meets  for  an  hour's  quiz  before  the  lecture,  one-half  of 
which  hour  is  occupied  in  questions  from  the  class  which  are 

*  For  an  account  of  this  course,  see  the  paper  on  "  Some  Extension  Experi- 
ments in  American  History,"  p.  122. 


Indiana.  1 87 

reported  as  "coming  full  and  eager,"  and  the  other  half  the 
hour  is  devoted  to  the  questioning  of  the  class  by  the  lecturer. 
Most  of  the  latter  questions  are  on  the  reading  which  has  been 
assigned  to  the  class,  endeavoring  to  group  the  salient  facts  on 
the  week's  study.  For  practical  work  in  botany  the  class  is 
in  possession  of  sixty  microscopes  and  is  divided  into  squads 
for  practical  botanical  analysis.  Mr.  Marks,  Instructor  in  the 
Boys'  High  School  of  Louisville,  is  the  leader  of  the  class,  who 
directs  its  study  and  reports  its  progress  and  its  needs  to  Pro- 
fessor Coulter. 

2.  The  second  course  in  Louisville  is  given  by  Professor  O. 
B.  Clark,  of  the  Department  of  English,  on  "Lowell  and  his 
Work."  This  course  consists  of  six  lectures,  and  is  under  the 
same  auspices  with  Professor  Coulter's  course.  This  class  was 
given  the  choice  of  subjects  from  "Shakespeare,"  "  Chaucer," 
"Lowell,"  and,  by  a  very  large  vote,  "  Lowell  "  was  preferred. 
The  class  numbers  one  hundred  and  forty,  and  is  aided  and  di- 
rected, under  Professor  Clark,  by  Mr.  W.  O.  Cross,  Principal  of 
the  Fourth  Ward  Schools  in  Louisville. 

Both  these  courses  are  conducted  on  Saturday  morning  from 
nine  to  eleven  o'clock,  and  of  the  two  hundred  and  sixty-five 
members  of  the  classes,  mostly  teachers,  very  few  are  taking  both 
courses ;  the  duplicated  names  do  not  number  more  than  twelve. 

The  business  managers  have  charged  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents 
for  a  course  of  six  lectures,  or  twenty-five  cents  per  lecture,  and 
they  report  on  hand  a  comfortable  surplus  above  all  expenses. 

III.  EVANSVILLE. — In   this  city  a  class  numbering  over  one 
hundred  has  been  organized  for  the  study  of  botany,  and  Pro- 
fessor Coulter  has  been  invited  to  direct  the  course.     He  will 
repeat  the  course  which  he  is  giving  in  Louisville.    The  Evans- 
ville  centre  is  under  the  direction  and  leadership  of  Mr.  Samuel 
G.  Evans,  a  private  citizen  of  that  city,  who  may  be  enrolled  as 
an  efficient  co-worker  in  the  Society  for  the  Encouragement  of 
Study  at  Home.     Professor  Coulter's  Extension  course  in  Evans- 
ville  will  begin  in  January,  1892. 

IV.  In    CHICAGO,    in   the   Workers'    Church,    Dr.    Doremus 
Scudder,  pastor. 


1 88     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

In  this  Chicago  centre  Professor  Woodburn  is  repeating  the 
course  which  he  is  giving  at  Indianapolis.  * 

V.  In  NEW  ALBANY,  President  Coulter  is  engaged  in  lecturing 
to  a  vigorous  and  growing  centre,  now  numbering  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  students,  enthusiastic  in  the  study  of  botany.  The 
calls  on  President  Coulter  for  instruction  are  more  than  he  can 
supply.  He  is  now  addressing  three  Extension  centres  aggre- 
gating about  five  hundred  students. 

The  summary  of  the  Extension  of  Indiana  University  may 
best  be  seen  in  the  brief  statement  by  Professor  E.  W.  Huffcutt, 
chairman  of  the  Extension  Committee  of  the  Faculty : 

(1)  We  offer  29  courses 

in  13  departments 
by  15  lecturers. 

(2)  We  have  actually  under  way  5  courses 

in  3  departments 
by  3  lecturers. 

(3)  We  have  arranged,  in  addition,  3  courses 

in  2  departments 
by  2  lecturers. 

(4)  Total,  8  courses 

in  4  departments 
by  4  lecturers. 

(5)  Registrations  for  the  8  courses, 

1115  students. 

(6)  Number  of  lectures  in  each  course  : 

Botany,  3  courses,  6  each. 

Literature,  i  course,  6. 

American  Political  History,  2  courses,  1 2  each. 

Economics,  2  courses,  12  each. 

These  courses,  which  are  now  in  practical  operation,  are  con- 
ducted by  the  heads  of  the  departments  in  which  the  courses 
are  given.  The  professors  themselves  go  to  the  centres,  give  the 
lectures,  and  instruct  the  classes.  The  work  is  looked  upon  as 
being  the  most  responsible  now  in  hand,  and  President  Coulter's 

*  See  Professor  Woodburn's  "  Some  Extension  Experiments,"  p.  1-22. 


Indiana.  1 89 

interest  in,  and  personal  attention  to,  the  Extension  course  signi- 
fies the  importance  in  which  the  work  is  held  by  the  administra- 
tion. The  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University  have  formally 
expressed  its  approval  of  the  work,  and  appropriations  of  money 
have  been  made  to  meet  the  necessary  expenses.  Further  en- 
couragement and  financial  aid  will  be  given  by  the  University 
authorities  as  the  demands  increase  and  the  scope  of  the  work 
extends.  The  policy  of  the  University  may  be  expressed  by 
saying  that  it  is  the  intention  to  push  the  work  with  energy,  and 
to  make  provision  for  new  demands  as  they  arise. 

Additional  teaching  force  will  be  provided  if  calls  for  the  Ex- 
tension of  the  University  increase,  as  present  demands  seem  to 
indicate  will  be  the  case.  Our  experience  would  indicate  that  a 
professor  can  well  manage  a  single  course  on  Friday  evenings 
without  loss  of  efficiency  in  his  regular  work  at  the  University, 
unless  his  present  work  is  already  too  heavy.  But  to  conduct 
two  courses  at  the  same  time  can  only  result  in  disparagement  of 
the  work  he  is  attempting  with  the  University  classes  in  residence. 
If  the  University  professors  themselves,  who  are,  as  a  rule, 
already  overburdened  with  classes,  should  attempt  to  continue 
and  develop  Extension  teaching,  they  can  do  so  only  by  being 
relieved  of  some  of  their  present  labors.  The  Indiana  Univer- 
sity is  considering  the  feasibility  of  providing,  in  the  contingency 
of  enlarged  demands,  a  special  body  of  Extension  lecturers,  or 
of  releasing  certain  members  of  its  Faculty  during  portions  of 
the  week  or  the  college  term,  for  exclusive  attention  to  Extension 
classes.  But  future  problems  are  deferred  to  future  time. 

It  has  not  been  the  policy  of  the  University  to  "  work  up" 
centres.  The  initiative  is  left  with  the  community  which  may 
desire  a  course.  Information,  instruction,  encouragement,  some- 
times financial  help  to  the  extent  of  furnishing  the  printed  syllabus, 
— these  the  University  stands  ready  to  supply.  But  no  centre  is 
encouraged  to  attempt  a  course  under  any  artificial  pressure  or 
demand.  The  University  expects  from  every  centre  applying 
for  instruction  that  the  business  success  of  the  enterprise  be 
guaranteed  from  the  beginning,  that  the  application  represents  a 
positive  and  genuine  demand  for  University  teaching,  not  for 


190     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

mere  entertainment,  and  that  the  centre  be  under  some  organiza- 
tion or  management  which  may  be  held,  in  a  sense,  responsible 
to  the  University.  The  University,  as  the  institution  of  the 
State  for  higher  education,  desires  to  serve  the  Commonwealth  of 
Indiana  in  every  possible  way,  and  it  holds  itself  in  readiness  to 
carry  its  instruction  at  all  the  times  it  can,  in  all  the  ways  it  can, 
to  all  the  people  it  can.  This  it  conceives  to  be  the  spirit  of  true 
University  Extension. 

MICHIGAN. 

The  aim  of  the  University  Extension  movement  is  to  bring 
the  masses  close  to  the  higher  institutions  of  learning.  Under 
no  circumstances  should  this  be  more  easily  or  thoroughly  accom- 
plished than  in  the  case  of  the  State  universities.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  is  typical  of  these  institutions.  It  stands 
at  the  head  of  a  great  public-school  system  whose  various  divisions 
reach  by  easy  gradations  to  the  door  of  the  University.  The 
system  exemplifies  well  the  idea  of  a  natural  sequence  in  the  ele- 
mentary schools,  the  secondary,  and  the  University.  The  State 
University  at  the  head  of  such  a  system  is  in  a  position  to  mould 
greatly  the  general  education  of  the  commonwealth,  and  through 
that  the  masses  of  the  people.  These  institutions  depend,  further, 
on  public  sentiment  for  their  support,  and  anything  that  increases 
the  estimation  of  education  in  the  minds  of  the  people  tends 
directly  to  their  advantage.  In  the  Extension  system,  then,  is 
an  element  of  strength  which  has  naturally  not  passed  unnoticed 
by  the  State  universities,  and  of  all  these  the  University  of 
Michigan  was  one  of  the  earliest  to  take  steps  towards  securing 
for  itself  and  for  the  people  of  the  State  the  opportunities  which 
the  movement  offers. 

In  lieu  of  personal  representation  at  the  National  Conference, 
the  following  letter  was  received  from  the  head  of  the  English 
department  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  who  is,  at  the  same 
time,  the  first  Extension  lecturer  from  its  faculty. 

"ANN  ARBOR,  December  26,  1892. 
"PRESIDENT  EDMUND  J.  JAMES,  Philadelphia: 

"  DEAR  SIR, — It  now  seems  that  other  engagements  will  prevent 


Michigan.  191 

our  being  represented  at  the  National  Conference  on  University 
Extension  next  week.  I  accordingly  forward  to  you  herewith 
the  official  record  of  the  action  of  our  faculty,  and  of  our  board 
with  reference  to  Extension  teaching.  We  had  a  late  start,  and 
thus  far  few  courses  have  been  called  for.  There  have  been 
many  inquiries,  and  doubtless  other  courses  will  be  called  for 
after  the  holidays.  The  Detroit  people  moved  in  advance  of  us, 
and  I  began  work  there  before  our  faculty  took  definite  action. 
I  understand  that  the  friends  of  the  movement  in  Detroit  feel 
much  encouraged  by  the  interest  taken  in  the  first  course.  I 
refer  you  to  the  Rev.  C.  R.  Henderson,  of  Detroit,  who  has 
been  active  in  the  matter. 

"  Very  sincerely  yours, 

"ISAAC  N.  DEMMON.' 

The  official  record  of  the  action  of  Michigan  University  is 
dated  November  1 8,  1891.  To  the  Board  of  Regents  was  pre- 
sented at  that  time  the  report  of  the  special  committee  appointed 
by  the  faculty  of  the  University  to  consider  the  question  of  Uni- 
versity Extension  teaching.  As  a  result  of  its  thought,  the  com- 
mittee, including  Professors  Isaac  N.  Demmon,  Martin  L.  D'Ooge, 
and  Volney  M.  Spaulding,  made  the  following  recommendations : 

1.  That  the  President  be  authorized  to  announce  the  willing- 
ness of  the  faculty  to  undertake  University  Extension  work. 

2.  That  the  members  of  the  faculty  be  requested  to  prepare, 
before  December  i,  a  statement  of  the  course  each  is  willing  to 
give  during  the  current  year. 

3.  That  the  Board  of  Regents  be  requested  to  give  their  ap- 
proval to  this  plan,  and  to  authorize  officers  of  instruction  to 
accept  invitations  for  such  regulations  as  the  Board  may  deem 
wise. 

In  accordance  with  the  action  of  the  Regents  on  this  recom- 
mendation, the  University  of  Michigan  made  the  following  an- 
nouncement :  "  The  University,  desiring  to  assist  local  bodies  in 
the  work  of  University  Extension,  has  arranged  the  following 
courses  of  instruction.  The  general  plan  of  the  work  will  be 
that  adopted  by  the  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  Uni- 


192     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

versity  Teaching.  The  University  cannot  undertake  the  local 
organization  of  classes,  but  will  await  the  instruction  of  clubs, 
societies,  or  classes  who  may  desire  to  enter  upon  the  work. 
The  entire  expense  will  be  borne  by  the  local  organization  in 
each  case.  This  may  be  done  by  lecture-tickets,  class  fees,  or 
general  subscriptions." 

The  courses  announced  by  Michigan  University  on  December 
i,  1891,  embrace  nearly  sixty  courses  in  twenty-three  branches 
of  instruction,  to  be  given  by  thirty  of  the  University  faculty. 
A  special  emphasis  was  laid  on  the  educational  nature  of  the 
work,  and  the  intention  that  the  courses  should  be  not  merely 
interesting  and  popular,  but  characterized  by  earnest  and  per- 
sistent study. 

The  first  Extension  centre  in  the  State  of  Michigan  was  estab- 
lished in  Detroit.  In  the  early  part  of  October,  Rev.  C.  R. 
Henderson  commenced  the  agitation  of  the  subject,  and  made 
several  earnest  addresses  in  behalf  of  the  movement.  On  Octo- 
ber 27,  President  James  B.  Angell,  of  the  University  of  Michigan, 
discussed  the  subject  before  the  Congregational  Ckib  of  Eastern 
Michigan.  He  was  followed  by  Profesor  M.  L.  D'Ooge,  who 
gave  an  account  in  detail  of  the  development  of  the  system  in 
England.  The  Detroit  Institute  of  University  Extension  was 
organized  on  October  IT,  1891.  The  following  officers  were 
chosen :  Hon.  Thos.  W.  Palmer,  President ;  Mrs.  John  J.  Bag- 
ley,  Vice-President ;  Henry  A.  Ford,  Secretary;  George  W. 
Duncan,  Treasurer ;  R.  L.  Courtney,  Financial  Secretary.  The 
Board  of  Directors  is  composed  of  the  following :  Hon.  T.  W. 
Palmer,  Chairman,  ex-officio;  Charles  E.  Warner,  Vice-Chair- 
man ;  Henry  A.  Ford,  Clerk ;  Mrs.  S.  C.  O.  Parsons,  Mrs.  H. 
J.  Boutell,  Rev.  C.  R.  Henderson,  D.D. ;  Professor  S.  Emory 
Whitney,  Alanson  J.  Fox,  Albert  L.  Olds,  Henry  Maslen,  and 
M.  Frederick  Martin.  Circulars  were  immediately  issued  in 
reference  to  the  work  and  great  interest  aroused  among  all 
classes  of  the  community.  The  price  of  a  single-course  ticket 
was  fixed  at  fifty  cents,  and  single  admission,  to  the  extent  of 
seating  capacity,  for  each  of  the  six  lectures  in  the  average 
course,  at  fifteen  cents.  The  price  of  the  syllabus  for  each 


Michigan — Illinois.  193 

course  was  fixed  at  ten  cents.  An  extra  charge  of  fifty  cents 
was  made  to  the  members  of  the  classes  who  handed  in  written 
exercises,  and  an  additional  charge  of  the  same  amount  for  the 
final  examination  papers  and  certificates.* 

From  Secretary  Henry  A.  Ford  the  following  report  was  re- 
ceived at  the  National  Conference  : 

"I  regret  that  our  Institute  for  University  Extension  cannot 
be  represented  at  the  coming  Conference.  Our  first  course 
closed  on  the  i5th  instant,  and  proved  a  great  success,  self- 
sustaining,  with  a  good  balance  in  treasury.  Four  hundred  and 
seventy-four  course  tickets  were  sold ;  there  were  regularly  full 
houses,  despite  unfavorable  weather.  About  one  hundred  fol- 
lowed the  class,  though  most  of  the  audience  remained  to  its 
exercises.  The  course  was  a  thoroughly  popular  and  instruc- 
tive one  on  *  Masterpieces  of  English  Literature,'  by  Professor 
Demmon  of  the  State  University.  We  announce  next  a  course  in 
political  economy,  and  shall  have  probably  two  classes  of  twenty 
to  twenty-five  each  in  elementary  chemistry.  A  petition  of  two 
hundred  for  a  Shakespeare  course  cannot  be  satisfied  until  our 
next  season.  We  have  promoted  the  work  elsewhere,  and  are 
happy  to  report  organizations  at  Grand  Rapids  and  Hillsdale, 
and  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  with  hopeful  movements  in  progress  at 
Kalamazoo,  Jackson,  Saginaw,  Pontiac,  and  elsewhere."")" 

ILLINOIS. 

In  Illinois  much  interest  has  been  shown  in  University  Ex- 
tension, both  by  the  college  men  and  the  common-school  teachers, 
principals,  and  superintendents.  Hon.  Henry  Raab,  State  Super- 

*  The  usual  price  in  the  United  States  of  a  ticket  for  a  single  course  of 
six  lectures  has  been  one  dollar,  with  no  extra  charges  for  those  writing  exer- 
cises or  taking  the  examination.  Such  an  arrangement  seems  certainly  pref- 
erable, since  the  object  of  the  lecture  is  to  induce  as  many  as  possible  to  enter 
upon  systematic  and  earnest  study.  It  has  even  been  the  custom  in  some 
places  in  England  to  remit  part  of  the  regular  fee  to  those  who  follow  the 
work  as  students  and  prepare  the  weekly  exercises  and  pass  the  final  ex- 
amination. 

f  More  recently  Extension  centres  have  been  formed  at  Kalamazoo  and 
Bay  City. 

13 


194     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

intendent  of  Public  Instruction,  Superintendent  A.  G.  Lane,  of 
Chicago,  and  many  others  have  actively  associated  themselves  in 
the  work.  President  William  R.  Harper,  of  the  Chicago  Uni- 
versity, and  President  Henry  Wade  Rogers,  of  the  Northwestern 
University,  discussed  the  movement  before  the  State  Teachers' 
Association  of  Illinois  at  Springfield  at  the  time  of  the  National 
Conference,  and  thus  were  prevented  from  attending  the  latter. 
Professor  A.  V.  E.  Young,  of  Northwestern,  and  President  Carl 
Johann,  of  Eureka  College,  represented  the  higher  education  of 
the  State  and  presented  reports  of  Extension  work  in  Northern 
and  Central  Illinois. 

The  first  meeting  in  reference  to  University  Extension  in 
Chicago  was  held  on  May  22,  1891.  President  Edmund  J. 
James,  of  the  American  Society,  presented  the  subject  on  that 
occasion  to  many  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Chicago,  explaining 
clearly  the  important  place  which  University  Extension  can  fill 
in  public  education.  He  spoke  in  detail  of  the  origin  and  de- 
velopment of  the  movement  and  of  the  system  of  teaching  which 
embodies  its  fundamental  idea.  The  first  centre  was  organized 
in  November,  1891,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Dr.  Doremus 
Scudder,  Pastor  of  the  Workers'  Church.  To  this  centre  was 
called  Professor  James  A.  Woodburn,  of  the  University  of  In- 
diana, to  give  a  course  of  lectures  on  American  political  history. 
On  November  28,  the  Chicago  Society  for  University  Extension 
was  formed  by  representatives  of  the  Northwestern,  Chicago, 
Lake  Forest,  Indiana,  Wisconsin,  and  Illinois  Universities,  and 
Beloit  and  Wabash  Colleges.  The  society  is  controlled  by  two 
representative  bodies :  the  joint  university  board,  consisting  of 
the  president  and  two  professors  from  each  college,  and  an  advi- 
sory council  of  Chicago  citizens.  At  a  subsequent  meeting,  Mr. 
Franklin  H.  Head  was  elected  president,  Mrs.  Charles  Henrotin, 
vice-president;  Mr.  Franklin  MacVeagh,  treasurer;  and  Mr. 
Charles  Zeublin,  secretary.  On  the  list  of  the  advisory  council 
appear  the  names  of  the  leading  clergymen,  lawyers,  business 
men,  and  educators  of  the  city.  Eighty-five  courses  of  lectures 
on  history,  literature,  economics,  philosophy,  the  mathematical 
and  natural  sciences  and  law,  are  offered  by  the  society.  The 


Illinois.  195 

first  centre  organized  by  the  society  was  that  at  Oak  Park,  a  sub- 
urb of  Chicago,  where  Professor  Butler,  of  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois, is  giving  a  course  on  English  literature  to  an  audience  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  subscribers.  Professor  Butler  is 
to  open  his  centre  at  the  Newberry  Library  on  February  19.  At 
the  Workers'  Church,  Professor  Woodburn  is  to  be  succeeded  by 
Professor  Ross,  of  the  University  of  Indiana,  who  lectures  on 
economics.  The  Union  Church  of  Hyde  Park,  and  the  Wesley 
Church  on  the  north  side  have  Extension  classes.  A  number  of 
additional  centres  will  be  founded  in  the  near  future. 

The  University  of  Illinois  has  entered  vigorously  on  Extension 
work  under  the  direction  of  the  acting  Regent,  T.  J.  Burrill,  and 
a  standing  committee  of  the  faculty,  including  Professors  S.  A. 
Forbes,  N.  C.  Ricker,  and  C.  M.  Moss.  The  standard  of  an 
Extension  course  is  fixed  at  six  lectures,  for  which  there  is  a 
charge  of  ten  dollars  and  travelling  expenses  for  each  lecture. 
The  official  list  includes  the  following  courses:  "Botany,"  by 
Professor  T.  J.  Burrill;  "  English  Constitutional  History,"  by 
Professor  J.  D.  Crawford;  "Agriculture,"  by  Professor  G.  E. 
Morrow;  "Civil  Engineering,"  by  Professor  I.  O.  Baker; 
"Physical  Astronomy,"  by  Professor  I.  O.  Baker;  "English 
Composition  and  Oratory,"  by  Professor  J.  H.  Brownlee; 
"English  Language  and  Literature,"  by  Professor  N.  Butler, 
Jr.;  "Municipal  Engineering,"  by  Professor  A.  N.  Talbot; 
"Political  Economy,"  by  Professor  H.  J.  Barton;  "Psy- 
chology," by  Professor  C.  M.  Moss. 

As  a  special  feature  of  the  Extension  work  of  the  University, 
the  faculty  offers  to  county  superintendents  of  schools,  lecture 
courses  to  be  delivered  at  the  County  Teachers'  Institutes  during 
the  vacation  months.* 

The  subjects  have  been  selected  with  special  reference  to  the 
needs  of  the  more  advanced  teachers,  and  also  with  a  view  to 
attracting  the  interest  and  attendance  of  the  citizens  of  the 

*  The  development  of  University  Extension  in  the  form  of  summer  courses 
at  County  Institutes,  Summer  Chautauquas,  mountain  and  seaside  resorts,  both 
for  teachers  and  general  audiences,  will  be  studied  as  a  phase  of  the  movement 
with  great  interest  by  all  friends  of  the  work. 


1 96     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

towns  in  which  the  institutes  are  held.  While  this  instruction 
is  in  substance  and  in  aim  essentially  the  same  as  that  given  at 
the  University,  it  is  adapted  in  method  to  the  character  of  the 
classes  and  audiences  receiving  it.* 

WISCONSIN. 

President  T.  C.  Chamberlin  has  been  one  of  the  foremost 
champions  of  University  Extension  in  America,  and  a  careful 
student  of  the  development  of  the  movement  in  its  various 
phases  in  the  United  States  and  abroad.  The  University  of 
Wisconsin,  of  which  he  is  president,  has  been  active,  largely 
through  his  influence,  in  establishing  this  system  in  that  State. 
Without  exception,  the  University  of  Wisconsin  has  so  far  estab- 
lished more  centres  than  any  other  institution  in  the  United 
States.  Besides  having  the  advantage  of  heading  the  educational 
system  of  the  State,  it  has  in  its  location  at  the  capital  a  special 
means  of  influencing  the  thought  of  educators  throughout  the 
commonwealth.  The  favorable  attitude  of  the  State  government 
may  be  noted  in  the  offering  free  of  charge  of  the  Assembly  Hall 
of  the  Legislature  for  the  purpose  of  the  work.  The  University 
is  further  fortunate  in  having  in  its  faculty  a  number  of  men 
whom  experience  has  shown  to  be  especially  qualified  both  in 
scholarly  attainments  and  personal  gifts  for  Extension  teaching. 
The  list  of  Extension  lecturers  includes  Professor  F.  J.  Turner, 
on  American  History ;  Professor  J.  C.  Freeman,  on  English  Lit- 
erature ;  Professor  Julius  E.  Olson,  on  Scandinavian  Literature ; 
Professor  L.  F.  Van  Cleef,  on  Greek  Literature ;  Professor  J.  B. 
Parkinson,  on  Economics ;  Dr.  H.  C.  Tolman,  on  the  Antiqui- 
ties of  India  and  Iran  ;  Professor  E.  A.  Birge,  on  Bacteriology ; 
Professor  C.  R.  Barnes,  on  The  Physiology  of  Plants ;  Professor 
H.  B.  Loomis,  on  Electricity;  Professor  R.  D.  Salisbury,  on 
Landscape  Geology.  The  cost  of  a  course  is  ten  dollars  per 
lecture  and  travelling  expenses. 

The  following  report  was  sent  to  the  National  Conference  by 

*  Extension  courses  are  being  given  at  Urbana  and  Quincy,  and  organiza- 
tions for  the  promotion  of  this  work  effected  at  Rock  Island  and  Jacksonville. 


Wisconsin. 

Professor  Edward  A.  Birge,  Dean  of  the  College  Faculty  of  the 
University  of  Wisconsin : 

"MADISON,  December  26,  1891. 
"PRESIDENT  EDMUND  J.  JAMES,  Philadelphia: 

"  DEAR  SIR, — In  the  absence  of  President  Chamberlain,  I  reply 
to  your  invitation  of  December  19.  I  greatly  regret  that  it  is 
impossible  for  any  member  of  our  faculty  to  be  present  at  the 
National  Conference  on  University  Extension.  We  are  engaging 
somewhat  actively  in  this  work,  and  should  be  very  glad  to  have 
the  aid  and  counsel  which  would  come  from  being  present  at 
such  a  meeting  as  that  which  you  have  called.  The  distance, 
however,  is  so  great  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  member  of  our 
faculty  to  be  present. 

"  During  the  spring  of  1891  the  subject  of  University  Extension 
was  considered  by  the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin, 
and  they  recommended  to  the  Board  of  Regents,  at  its  meeting 
in  June,  1891,  that  courses  of  University  Extension  lectures  be 
offered  for  the  coming  collegiate  year.  The  report  was  adopted 
by  the  Regents,  and  early  in  the  fall  term  the  faculty  determined 
upon  detailed  plans  for  the  work  and  issued  a  preliminary  circular, 
a  copy  of  which  is  enclosed.  From  the  circular  you  will  see  the 
scope  of  our  work  and  its  general  plan. 

"  In  some  of  the  departments  which  are  advertised  in  the  circu- 
lar the  work  has  not  yet  begun,  and  only  a  few  of  the  courses  of  six 
lectures  have  been  completed,  so  that  at  present  it  is  impossible 
to  speak  in  detail  of  results  reached.  In  general  it  may  be  said 
that  the  movement  has  met  with  a  very  warm  response  on  the 
part  of  the  people  of  the  State.  In  most  of  the  departments  ap- 
plications have  been  made  for  lecture  courses  beyond  the  capacity 
of  the  lecturer.  Under  the  rules  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  the  * 
Extension  work  is  to  be  done  by  the  professors  without  interfer- 
ence with  their  ordinary  college  duties.  This  necessarily  limits 
the  lectures  to  Friday  and  Saturday  evenings,  or  to  such  places 
as  can  be  reached  by  train  in  such  a  way  as  to  return  for  duty  on 
the  following  morning. 

"  So  far  as  I  can  report  at  present,  there  are  forty-three  courses 


198     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

of  lectures  finished,  in  progress,  or  definitely  engaged  for  the 
future,  while  there  are  a  large  number  of  other  applications 
which  have  not  yet  been  acted  upon,  and  which  will  undoubtedly 
increase  the  number  of  courses  given  during  the  current  year  to 
more  than  fifty.  The  greatest  number  of  applications  has  come 
in  the  department  of  English  literature,  in  which  thirteen  courses 
are  now  in  progress.  Most  of  these  lectures  are  given  in  con- 
nection with  a  reading  circle  in  the  town,  and  are,  therefore, 
given  at  intervals  greater  than  once  a  week ;  some  once  in  two 
weeks,  others  once  a  month.  The  number  in  the  audiences  has 
ranged  from  ninety  to  two  hundred  and  seventy-five,  averaging, 
perhaps,  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Each  lecture  is  followed  by  a 
conversation  in  which,  as  a  rule,  the  entire  audience  has  taken 
part.  The  reading  circles  have  ranged  in  number  from  twenty- 
five  to  eighty. 

"In  history  two  courses  have  been  completed,  with  audiences 
respectively  five  hundred  and  one  hundred  and  fifty,  with  quiz 
classes  following  each  lecture,  attended  by  from  forty  to  seventy- 
five  persons.  In  these  courses  eight  persons  have  taken  the 
examination  indicated  in  the  circular.  Five  other  courses  in 
history  are  engaged. 

"  In  geology  only  one  course  has  been  completed,  but  several 
others  are  in  progress,  with  audiences  and  classes  ranging  about 
as  in  the  department  of  English  literature.  Altogether  eight 
courses  are  in  progress  or  engaged  in  this  department. 

"  In  bacteriology  six  courses  have  been  engaged,  but  none  have 
been  as  yet  entered  upon. 

"In  economics  one  course  has  been  completed  at  Milwaukee, 
with  audiences  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred ;  a 
class  of  thirty-three  was  organized  for  special  work.  The  exami- 
nations in  this  course  have  not  yet  been  held. 

"  In  Scandinavian  literature  two  courses  are  under  engagement. 

"In  electricity  two  courses;  and  in  antiquities  of  India  and 
Iran  one  course  is  engaged.  In  plant  physiology  and  Greek 
literature  no  courses  have  as  yet  been  reported  as  engaged. 

"I  enclose  a  list  of  the  towns  at  which  courses  of  lectures  are 
being  given  or  are  under  engagement,  and  also  a  map  of  the 


Wisconsin.  199 

State  on  which  the  same  places  are  indicated.  From  this  you 
will  see  that  in  spite  of  the  limitations  which  distance  imposes 
upon  us,  we  are  covering  the  area  of  the  State  pretty  thoroughly. 
I  enclose  also  synopses  of  the  lecture  courses  in  economics, 
history,  and  English  literature,  and  synopsis  of  part  of  the 
course  in  geology. 

"  We  have  entered  into  arrangements  for  mutual  work  with  the 
Chicago  Society  for  University  Extension,  and  with  the  Chautau- 
qua  organization  for  the  same  purpose.  Our  plan  is  to  work 
from  our  own  institution  as  a  centre,  and  also  to  work  in  co-oper- 
ation with  any  other  societies  which  may  be  formed  for  the  fur- 
therance of  University  Extension.  As  yet  no  work  has  been 
done  by  the  University  in  connection  with  these  societies. 

"  Our  general  plan  embraces  courses  of  six  lectures,  each  lecture 
followed  by  quiz  or  conversation  class ;  an  examination  is  held  at 
the  end  of  the  course.  The  cost  of  each  course  is  sixty  dollars 
and  the  expenses  of  the  lecturer.  In  several  cities  the  expenses 
have  been  born  by  some  citizen,  so  that  the  course  has  been 
made  free  to  the  public.  The  correspondence  work  indicated 
in  the  circular  has  not  as  yet  been  called  for. 

"The  places  at  which  courses  are  in  progress  or  engaged  are 
in  English  Literature :  Ashland,  Baraboo,  Beaver  Dam,  Clinton, 
Fond  du  Lac,  Fox  Lake,  Janesville,  Milwaukee  (two  courses), 
Reedsburg,  Sheboygan,  Spring  Green,  Superior,  Washburn. 

"In  History:  Brodhead,  Fond  du  Lac,  Madison,  Milwaukee, 
Monroe,  Poynette,  Oshkosh. 

"In  Economics:  Milwaukee  (two  courses),  La  Crosse,  Ash- 
land. 

"  In  Bacteriology :  Eau  Claire,  La  Crosse,  Madison,  Milwaukee 
(two  courses),  Whitewater. 

"In  Electricity:  Milwaukee,  Watertown. 

"In  Scandinavian  Literature:   Stoughton,  Milwaukee. 

"  In  Geology  :  Oconomowoc  (two  courses),  Green  Bay,  Fort 
Howard,  Oconto,  Platteville,  Watertown. 

"In  the  Antiquities  of  India  and  Iran  :   Milwaukee." 

From  Milwaukee,  President  R.  C.  Spencer,  of  the  People's 


2OO     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension 

Institute,  submitted  the  following  report  to  the  National  Con- 
ference : 

"  Milwaukee  nas  taken  the  course  in  American  History,  the 
Colonization  of  North  America,  by  Professor  F.  J.  Turner,  of 
the  University  of  Wisconsin.  It  was  delivered  under  the  au- 
spices of  the  Chautauqua  Club,  in  the  Entertainment  Hall  of 
Plymouth  Congregational  Church,  and  has  been  successful,  both 
in  attendance,  character  of  the  audience,  and  interest  manifested. 
The  expense  of  the  course  was  guaranteed  by  Hon.  John  L. 
Mitchell,  member  of  Congress  for  this  district.  Tickets  for  the 
course  of  six  lectures  were  fifty  cents.  The  course  in  English 
Literature,  by  Professor  J.  E.  Freeman,  is  in  progress  at  the 
State  Normal  School,  under  the  auspices  of  the  faculty  of  that 
institution.  It  is  also  being  given  in  the  Guild  Hall  of  St.  Paul's 
Church,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Young  People's  Society.  In 
both  places  the  attendance  is  large  and  comprises  our  most  intel- 
ligent and  cultured  people.  The  tickets  for  this  course  are  sev- 
enty-five cents  for  six  lectures.  The  course  in  Scandinavian 
Literature,  by  Professor  Julius  E.  Olson,  will  be  given  after  the 
holidays,  under  the  auspices  of  a  society  auxiliary  to  the  People's 
Institute.  The  expense  of  this  course  is  guaranteed  by  Mr.  John 
Johnston,  cashier  of  the  Wisconsin  Marine  Insurance  Company 
Bank,  tickets  for  which  are  fifty  cents  for  six  lectures.  The 
course  in  Economics,  by  Professor  J.  B.  Parkinson,  has  just  been 
concluded,  and  was  given  on  successive  Saturday  mornings  at 
half-past  ten  o'clock.  It  was  attended  principally  by  students 
from  the  various  schools  and  institutions  of  the  city  and  by 
teachers.  It  was  given  under  the  auspices  of  the  People's  Insti- 
tute, and  the  expense  was  defrayed  by  the  Spencerian  Business 
College.  It  will  be  repeated  after  the  holidays,  Friday  evenings, 
for  the  convenience  of  business-men.  The  course  in  Bacteriology, 
by  Professor  E.  A.  Birge,  will  begin  after  the  holidays  in  the 
Science  Department  of  the  Public  High  School.  The  expense 
is  defrayed  by  Mrs.  E.  P.  Allis,  for  the  benefit  of  students  of 
this  branch  of  science.  This  course  will  also  be  given  before 
the  Medical  Society.  The  course  in  Electricity,  by  Dr.  H.  B. 
Loomis,  will  be  given  under  the  auspices  of  the  Wisconsin  Elec- 


Wisconsin — Minnesota.  201 

trie  Club,  of  which  Professor  A.  J.  Rogers,  of  the  Public  High 
School,  is  President.  Judge  George  H.  Noyes,  of  the  Board  of 
University  Regents,  is  chairman  of  the  University  Extension 
committee  of  the  People's  Institute,  which  has  fostered  and  en- 
couraged, without  attempting  to  manage  or  direct.  Regarding 
University  Extension  as  experimental  in  Milwaukee,  it  was  deemed 
best  to  let  it  shape  itself.  The  result  is  better  than  expected. 
Little  has  been  attempted  through  the  press  or  otherwise  to  create 
special  interest  in  the  movement,  and  it  has,  therefore,  been 
spontaneous.  If  we  may  judge  from  our  limited  experience, 
Milwaukee  will  be  counted  as  ah  auspicious  field  for  University 
Extension  work.  Before  the  close  of  the  season  a  meeting  will  be 
held  of  the  societies,  persons,  and  professors  interested  in  the 
several  courses  of  University  Extension  lectures  given  in  Mil- 
waukee, for  the  purpose  of  comparing  notes  and  arranging  plans 
for  the  coming  year." 

Aside  from  the  State  University,  Beloit  College  is  the  most 
important  institution  of  Wisconsin.  The  faculty  has,  after  care- 
ful consideration,  taken  up  the  work  of  University  Extension 
and  arranged  an  excellent  list  of  Extension  courses.  The  price 
of  each  of  the  six  lectures  in  the  typical  course  is  ten  dollars  and 
travelling  expenses.  Special  emphasis  is  laid,  by  the  lecturers 
of  Beloit  College,  on  the  class-work  connected  with  the  system. 
The  following  courses  are  offered :  Ethics,  by  Professor  J.  J. 
Blaisdell;  English  Literature,  by  Professor,  H.  M.  Whitney; 
Electricity,  by  Professor  T.  A.  Smith ;  Chemistry,  by  Professor 
E.  G.  Smith;  The  New  Astronomy,  by  Professor  Chas.  A.  Bacon; 
German  Literature,  by  Professor  C.  W.  Pearson ;  The  Physiol- 
ogy of  Plants,  by  Professor  H.  D.  Densmore. 

MINNESOTA. 

Professor  Harry  P.  Judson,  of  the  University  of  Minnesota,  submitted  the 
following  report,  read  by  Professor  M.  L.  Sanford. 

The  Extension  movement  in  the  North  Star  State  dates  from 
the  winter  of  1889-90,  and  began  in  the  city  of  St.  Paul.  A 
group  of  gentlemen  who  were  interested  in  educational  work, 


2O2     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

and  who  had  kept  watch  of  what  had  been  done  in  England  and 
in  the  East,  determined  to  see  what  could  be  accomplished  at 
home.  They  accordingly  prevailed  on  the  St.  Paul  Academy  of 
Science,  of  which  they  were  active  members,  to  undertake  the 
management,  and  under  its  auspices  proceeded  to  set  on  foot  a 
local  centre. 

General  interest  was  easily  aroused,  and  arrangements  were 
soon  made  for  a  variety  of  courses.  The  Board  of  Education 
granted  the  free  use  of  the  High-School  building  for  one  evening 
in  the  week.  Course  tickets  were  sold,  the  proceeds  of  which 
went  to  compensate  the  lecturers.  Other  incidental  expenses 
were  provided  by  private  subscription. 

In  the  spring  of  1890,  a  beginning  was  made,  with  classes  in 
English  Literature,  History,  Botany,  Electricity,  Geology,  and 
Mathematics.  Instruction  in  the  last  two  subjects  was  given  by 
members  of  the  faculty  of  Carleton  and  Macalester  Colleges 
respectively.  The  remaining  instructors  were  from  the  State 
University.  Each  course  comprised  twelve  weekly  exercises. 

During  the  year  1890-91,  the  work  in  St.  Paul  was  continued, 
courses  being  given  in  English  Literature,  American  Literature, 
International  Law,  and  History. 

In  Minneapolis  the  work  was  begun  in  the  fall  of  1 890,  under 
the  direction  of  the  public  library  board.  Courses  in  English 
Literature  and  International  Law  were  given  by  professors  from 
the  State  University.  These  were  followed  in  the  second  term 
by  a  course  in  History. 

For  the  present  year  the  management  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
Collegiate  Alumnae  Association.  A  short  course  in  Astronomy 
has  already  been  given  by  a  Carleton  professor,  and  other  sub- 
jects will  be  studied  after  the  holiday  recess. 

The  example  of  the  twin  cities  has  proved  contagious,  and 
during  the  fall  just  past  a  beginning  has  been  made  in  other 
places.  Members  of  the  State  University  faculty  are  giving 
work  in  Political  Economy  to  a  class  of  about  three  hundred  in 
Duluth,  and  in  History  to  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  Fari- 
bault.  Arrangements  are  also  on  foot  in  other  towns  of  the 
State. 


Minnesota.  203 

From  this  hasty  sketch  of  what  has  been  done,  several  things 
will  appear. 

In  the  first  place,  the  movement  in  Minnesota  has  been  quite 
spontaneous.  It  has  not  been  "worked  up,"  but  has  apparently 
been  a  natural  growth. 

As  to  the  subjects  of  study,  the  necessity  of  self-support  has 
made  them  rather  limited.  That  must  be  the  case  until  public 
or  private  munificence  is  ready  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  local 
centres.  The  higher  education  is  not  self-supporting  anywhere, 
and  it  must  not  be  expected  that  it  will  prove  so  in  this  more 
than  in  other  forms. 

Until  recently,  the  Regents  of  the  State  University  have  re- 
frained from  any  official  connection  with  the  Extension  move- 
ment. They  have  not  felt  warranted,  in  the  absence  of  a  special 
appropriation,  in  incurring  expense.  And  it  has  seemed  better, 
on  the  whole,  to  wait  until  it  should  appear  plain  that  there  is  an 
actual  call  for  authoritative  direction. 

But  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  at  St.  Paul,  on  De-  , 
cember  22,  it  was  voted  to  undertake  the  experiment  of  con- 
ducting Extension  work  in  the  State  for  the  current  academic 
year.  Definite  plans  will  be  formulated  at  once.  Of  course, 
the  expense  must  still  be  borne  by  local  centres.  But  if  the 
experiment  shows  that  there  is  promise  of  permanence,  the  Leg- 
islature will  undoubtedly  be  asked  at  its  next  session  for  a  mod- 
erate appropriation. 

And  this  leads  at  once  to  the  question  whether  the  movement 
in  America  is  a  real  and  permanent  one.  Enthusiasts,  of 
course,  have  but  one  answer.  The  success  of  nearly  twenty 
years  in  England  seems  conclusive  evidence.  The  crowded  lec- 
ture courses  last  winter  in  Eastern  centres  and  the  rapid  spread 
throughout  the  country  would  appear  to  be  unanswerable  cor- 
roboration. 

Many  cool  observers,  however,  are  of  the  opinion  that  all  this 
must  be  taken  with  a  large  allowance  of  salt.  To  begin  with, 
we  must  not  infer  too  much  from  the  popularity  of  certain  lec- 
turers. And  then  the  English  experience  really  counts  for 
little,  so  far  as  we  are  concerned.  The  conditions  in  the  two 


2O4     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

countries  are  radically  different.  A  vast  deal  that  passes  in  Eng- 
land under  the  head  of  "University  Extension"  is  nothing  but 
the  work  of  the  Chautauqua  Circles  here.  A  vast  deal  more  is 
merely  the  ordinary  work  of  our  American  high  schools,  and  is 
"University  Extension"  only  in  the  sense  that  all  study  leading 
to  the  University  is  an  extension  of  the  University  downward. 
It  must  be  remembered  that  the  free  public  high  school  does  not 
exist  in  England.  When  we  have  eliminated  these  two  elements, 
the  volume  of  the  English  work  shrinks  materially. 

In  saying  this,  of  course,  it  will  be  understood  that  there  is  no 
intention  of  depreciating  what  our  English  friends  have  done. 
But  there  is  danger  in  indiscriminating  imitation. 

An  interesting  outcome  of  the  experience  in  Minnesota 
relates  to  one  of  the  points  to  which  attention  has  been  called 
above. 

It  early  became  apparent  in  St.  Paul  that  there  was  a  very 
eager  desire  for  instruction  among  certain  classes  of  busy  people, 
but  that  the  instruction  they  needed  was  in  subjects  regularly 
taught  in  the  city  high  schools.  Accordingly,  as  an  immediate 
result  of  the  first  Extension  courses,  in  the  school  year  1890-91, 
evening  classes  were  organized  in  the  city  manual-training  school. 
These  classes  were  attended  through  the  year  by  an  average  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty,  mostly  young  mechanics. 

The  success  of  this  experiment  led  the  public-school  authori- 
ties in  the  fall  of  1891,  on  the  recommendation  of  Principal  G. 
N.  Carman,  to  open  the  Central  High  School  for  an  evening 
session  two  nights  in  the  week.  The  evening  classes  in  the 
manual  training-school  were  continued  for  the  benefit  of  mechan- 
ics, and  classes  in  the  high  school  were  formed  in  such  subjects 
as  the  demand  seemed  to  show  desirable.  The  attendants  on 
these  proved  to  be  mostly  teachers  and  employees  in  various 
kinds  of  business,  whom  we  may  perhaps  group  under  the  name 
of  clerks.  Whether  mechanics,  teachers,  or  clerks,  all  the  stu- 
dents are  occupied  during  the  day  in  some  form  of  self-support. 
The  entire  attendance  in  these  evening  classes  has  averaged 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  for  the  three  months  of  October, 
November,  and  December.  The  total  registration  has  reached 


Minnesota — Iowa.  205 

nearly  eight  hundred,  but  the  average  attendance  is  a  much  safer 
criterion  of  the  actual  extent  of  real  work. 

These  evening  classes  in  the  high  school  are  something  tangible 
and  practical.  They  afford  an  immediate  outlet  to  a  demand 
for  instruction  that  ought  to  be  met,  but  which  is  in  no  proper 
sense  a  part  of  University  Extension. 

It  needs  no  argument,  however,  to  point  out  the  great  signifi- 
cance of  such  an  arrangement  to  real  University  Extension  in 
the  future.  As  a  result  of  this  high-school  work,  there  will  soon 
be  a  considerable  number  of  people  well  fitted  to  take  up  work 
of  University  grade  in  evening  classes.  Thus,  entirely  aside 
from  its  general  value,  the  evening  high  school  at  once  becomes 
a  preparatory  school  to  feed  the  Extension  side  of  the  University. 

In  fact,  to  the  writer,  the  evening  high  school  seems  the  ele- 
ment of  greatest  promise  bearing  on  a  permanent  Extension  of 
University  Teaching.  It  is  true,  undoubtedly,  that  in  all  our 
communities  there  is  a  certain  number  of  busy  adults  whose  ma- 
turity and  experience  in  life  fit  them  to  do  work  of  University 
grade  in  some  lines,  but  these  lines  are  limited.  If  there  is  to 
be  any  breadth  to  Extension  work,  there  must  be  provided  a  suf- 
ficient foundation.  And  only  when  the  high  school  and  the 
academy  join  in  the  task  will  the  plan  be  complete. 

IOWA. 

The  State  University  of  Iowa  entered  upon  Extension  work 
in  the  fall  of  1891,  in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of 
Henry  Sabin,  State  Superintendent  of  Instruction,  and  member  » 
of  the  Board  of  Regents.  A  circular  was  issued,  explaining  the 
design  of  University  Extension,  giving  its  history  and  the  plans 
proposed  by  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  with  the  list  of  lec- 
turers and  subjects.  The  latter  includes :  President  SchaerTer, 
Public  Education ;  Professor  Courier,  Latin  Language,  Litera- 
ture, and  Antiquities;  Professor  Calvin,  Geology  and  Physiology; 
Professor  McBride,  Botany ;  Professor  Andrews,  Chemistry ; 
Professor  Perkins,  History ;  Professor  Patrick,  Psychology  and 
Ethics;  Professor  Jamison,  Hygiene;  Professor  Wilson,  German 


206     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Language  and  Literature ;  Professor  Veblen,  Physics ;  Professor 
Weld,  Mathematics  and  Astronomy;  Professor  Nutting,  Zoology; 
Professor  Loos,  Political  Economy;  Professor  McConnell,  Peda- 
gogy; Assistant  Professor  Call,  Greek  Life  and  Literature; 
Assistant  Professor  Neff,  French  Language  and  Literature.  The 
first  course  was  commenced  at  Davenport  on  January  9.  The 
course  is  of  twelve  lectures,  four  each  being  given  by  Professors 
Calvin,  McBride,  and  Nutting.  The  general  topic  is  "The 
Making  of  the  World,"  and  the  respective  divisions  are  entitled 
"The  Formation  of  the  Earth,"  "The  Vegetable  Kingdom," 
and  "Animal  Life."  The  course  was  arranged  by  a  committee 
of  citizens,  of  which  Regent  Richardson,  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity, is  Chairman.  Tickets  for  the  entire  course  were  sold  at 
two  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  The  influence  of  the  University  of 
Iowa  in  Extension  work  is  felt  beyond  the  limits  of  the  State. 
Professor  Loos,  of  the  Chair  of  Political  Science,  began  a  course 
on  subjects  related  to  his  own  department,  at  Quincy,  111.,  in  the 
latter  part  of  December. 

KANSAS  AND  MISSOURI. 

The  Southwest  was  represented  at  the  National  Conference  by 
President  W.  H.  Black,  of  Missouri  Valley  College.  He  gave 
a  most  encouraging  account  of  the  interest  in  University  Exten- 
sion on  the  part  of  the  people  and  willingness  on  the  part  of  the 
university  and  college  authorities  and  faculties  to  give  their  ef- 
forts as  far  as  possible  to  the  spreading  of  University  advantages 
beyond  the  walls  of  the  various  institutions.  President  Black 
read  a  letter  from  Chancellor  Snow,  of  the  University  of  Kan- 
sas, regretting  his  inability  to  be  present  at  the  Conference,  and 
submitting  reports  of  the  work  in  that  State.  The  University 
of  Missouri  has  formulated  and  published  a  plan  of  Extension 
teaching  under  the  direction  of  its  new  head,  President  R.  H. 
Jesse.  Extension  teaching  has  so  far  been  carried  on  in  Kansas 
and  Missouri  jointly  by  the  faculties  of  the  institutions  in  both 
States.  For  convenience'  sake,  it  seems  preferable  to  unite  the 
reports  of  the  two  States,  and  give  the  following  summary  of 


[WVIESIT7J 
%^jfe    I3ar  -jrtV^ 

^$  £JVO  tl  »\5^ 

Kansas  and  Missouri.  \5&&  207 

"University  Extension  in  the  Southwest,"  submitted  by  Pro- 
fessor Frank  W.  Blackmar,  of  the  University  of  Kansas,  and  one 
of  the  most  successful  lecturers  in  that  field. 

The  State  Universities  of  the  West  have  from  their  foundation 
held  a  very  close  relation  to  the  people.  Created  by  State  au- 
thority, they  have  endeavored  to  supply  the  peculiar  wants  of 
young,  growing  commonwealths.  Composing  a  part  of  the 
great  public  school  system,  they  have  sought  to  be  in  every  sense 
the  schools  of  the  people.  But  while  they  have  entered  into  the 
sympathies  of  the  people  and  endeavored  to  supply  the  kind 
and  quality  of  education  suited  to  their  peculiar  needs,  on  the 
other  hand  they  have  assumed  the  leadership  in  thought  and  learn, 
ing  of  the  State  and  country  in  which  they  have  been  located. 

The  modern  State  University  has  had  occasion  to  feel  in  a 
special  way  that  it  is  truly  the  servant  of  the  people  and  the 
commonwealth,  and  has  therefore  been  more  in  sympathetic 
touch  with  the  life  of  the  people  than  perhaps  many  older  insti- 
tutions of  different  foundation.  Consequently,  while  we  find  in 
Western  institutions  the  instructors  endeavoring  to  give  full  and 
complete  instruction  in  the  branches  of  the  University  curricu- 
lum, and  to  develop  individual  students  as  far  as  possible  in  the 
way  of  higher  learning,  many  of  the  instructors  have  been  called 
from  time  to  time  to  lecture  to  the  people  and  to  mingle  with 
the  public  affairs  of  the  State.  Thus  their  influence  has  extended 
beyond  the  University  walls  to  the  community  at  large. 

Institutions  of  this  nature  take  kindly  to  the  University  Ex- 
tension movement.     It  is  only  necessary  to  enlarge  and  systema-  \    , 
tize  the  work  of  the  casual  lecturer,  and  University  Extension  is  f    . 
accomplished.     The  recent  Extension  movement,  which  spread 
so  rapidly  over  the  United  States,  reached  Kansas  just  in  time  to 
take  immediate  and  permanent  effect.     It  began  in  Topeka,* 
Kansas,  and   Kansas  City,  Mo.,  about   the   same  time.      The 
initiative  of  actual  work  was  made  by  Mr.  Beers,  the  librarian 
of  the  city  library  at  Topeka,  who  was  instrumental  in  organiz- 


*  Topeka  is  a  beautiful  city  of  about  forty  thousand  people,  and,  being  the  cap- 
ital of  the  State,  is  essentially  a  centre  of  learning  and  educational  enterprises. 


2o8     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

ing  a  local  association  at  that  place.  Professor  Blake,  of  the 
University  of  Kansas,  was  invited  to  deliver  a  course  of  twelve 
lectures 'on  Electricity  and  Magnetism.  A  class  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  pupils  was  composed  of  many  of  the  best 
people  of  Topeka.  Electricity  was  conducted  into  the  hall,  and 
apparatus  for  experiments  furnished  from  the  department  of 
Electrical  Engineering  of  the  University  of  Kansas. 

The  lectures  are  'given  in  an  attractive  manner,  and  each  one 
amply  illustrated  with  the  best  modern  experiments.  One  lec- 
ture is  delivered  every  two  weeks,  on  Friday  nights.  A  short 
syllabus  of  each  lecture  is  printed  one  week  in  advance  and  dis- 
tributed among  the  members  of  the  class  for  suggestive  reading 
and  study.  These  are  arranged  in  a  small  book  prepared  for  use, 
which  also  contains  the  list  of  authors  and  books  to  be  studied. 
As  the  class  is  not  completed,  it  is  impossible  to  tell  how  many 
will  take  the  examination  and  try  for  grades  at  the  University. 
The  topics  discussed  were:  The  Scientific  Conception  of  En- 
ergy, The  Electric  Current,  The  Electro-Magnet,  Electro-Dy- 
namics of  Current,  Ampere's  theory  of  Measuring  Instruments  of 
Electric  Current,  Theory  of  Electro-Magnetic  Potentials,  Elec- 
tro-Magnetic Induction,  Alternating  Current,  Electro-Chemics, 
Static  Induction,  Electrical  Radiation. 

Almost 'Simultaneously  with  the  movement  in  Topeka  began 
that  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.  It  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  state 
that  Kansas  City  is  a  thriving  city  of  about  one  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  that  it  is  the  metropolis  of  West- 
ern Missouri  and  Eastern  Kansas.  There  are  consequently  many 
people  in  Kansas  City  who  formerly  lived  in  Kansas,  and  still 
retain  pleasant  memories  of  their  former  home.  Indeed,  the  city 
is  so  closely  connected  with  the  State  whose  boundary  it  joins, 
as  to  be  logically  named  Kansas  City.  Although  a  Western  city, 
full  of  business  enterprise,  the  people  are  wide-awake  to  all  kinds 
of  available  intellectual  culture.  Here  are  found  graduates  of 
Kansas  and  Missouri  universities,  as  well  as  graduates  of  Columbia, 
Yale,  Harvard,  Michigan,  and  other  institutions  of  the  United 
States,  who  are  still  interested  in  higher  education.  Desiring  to 
form  a  University  Extension  society,  they  naturally  looked  to  the 


Kansas  and  Missouri.  209 

nearest  State  institution  for  assistance, — the  University  of  Kansas. 
The  writer  was  invited  to  address  a  meeting  called  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing  a  local  Extension  association.  The  association 
was  permanently  organized  with  Mr.  E.  H.  Allen,  President  of 
the  Board  of  Trade,  as  President  of  the  association,  and  Mr. 
John  Sullivan  as  Secretary.  Later  on  a  preliminary  meeting 
was  addressed  by  Prof.  W.  H.  Carruth,  of  the  University  of 
Kansas,  and  the  writer.  Spalding's  Hall,  a  large  and  centrally 
located  auditorium,  was  obtained  for  the  meetings  of  the  asso- 
ciation and  classes,  and  the  secretary  immediately  wrote  to  all 
of  the  institutions  in  the  vicinity,  asking  them  to  submit  a  list  of 
Extension  lectures  in  courses  which  they  were  willing  to  deliver 
in  Kansas  City.  The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  lectures  sub- 
mitted. It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  complete  list  is  not  at  hand, 
but  those  offered  by  the  William  Jewell  and  Park  Colleges  are 
not  to  be  found  at  present.  Constitutional  Law,  Alexander 
Martin,  LL.D. ;  Semitic  Languages,  J.  S.  Blackwell,  Ph.D.; 
History  of  the  English  Language,  E.  A.  Allen,  Litt.D. ;  His- 
tory of  Education,  J.  P.  Blanton,  A.M. ;  History  of  Mathe- 
matics, W.  B.  Smith,  Ph.D. ;  Greek  Life,  W.  G.  Manly,  A.M.  ; 
Roman  Religion,  J.  C.  Jones,  Ph.D. ;  Roman  Constitutional 
Law,  J.  M.  Burnham,  Ph.D.;  Homer  and  Homeric  Antiquities, 
Walter  Miller,  M.A. ;  The  Electro-Magnet,  William  Shrader, 
Ph.D.;  Botany,  G.  D.  Purinton,  Ph.D.;  Astronomy,  Milton 
Updegraf,  B.C.E.  The  above  courses  were  offered  by  the  in- 
structors of  the  University  of  Missouri,  located  at  Columbia. 

The  following  courses  were  offered  by  the  University  of  Kan- 
sas: The  Chemistry  of  Every-Day Life,  E.  H.  S.  Bailey,  Ph.D.; 
Political  Economy,  Economic  Problems  and  Sociology,  F.  W. 
Blackmar,  Ph.D.;  The  German  Empire,  E.  D.  Adams,  Ph.D. 
Electricity  and  its  Modern  Applications,  L.  I.  Blake,  Ph.D. ; 
The  Romantic  School  in  France,  and  the  Development  of  the 
Novel  in  France,  A.  G.  Canfield,  A.M.  ;  English  Literature  of 
the  Nineteenth  Century,  C.  G.  Dunlap,  A.B. ;  History  and 
Philosophy  of  American  Literature,  E.  M.  Hopkins,  A.M. ; 
German  Literature,  First  Classic  Period,  and  German  Literature, 
Modern  Period,  W.  H.  Carruth,  A.M. ;  Municipal  and  Domestic 

14 


2IO     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Sanitation,  F.  O.  Marvin,  A.M.  ;  Astronomy,  E.  Miller,  A.M. ; 
The  Art  of  Piano-Forte  Playing,  G.  B.  Penny,  B.S. ;  Roman 
Poetry,  D.  H.  Robinson,  Ph.D.  ;  Botany,  W.  C.  Stevens,  B.S.  ; 
Medical  Chemistry  and  Sanitary  Science,  L.  E.  Sayre,  Ph.G. ; 
Psychology,  Olin  Templin,  A.M. ;  Classical  Greek  Literature, 
A.  M.  Wilcox,  Ph.D. ;  Physical  Geology,  S.  W.  Williston,  Ph.D. 

It  was  decided  by  the  Kansas  City  Society  to  take  the  course 
offered  above  on  Economic  Problems  as  introductory  to  the 
work.  The  preference  in  courses  was  determined  by  replies  to 
circulars  freely  distributed  by  the  association  among  the  promi- 
nent people  of  the  city  and  vicinity.  A  class  of  one  hundred 
was  formed  for  the  first  course,  ninety-two  of  whom  registered 
for  examination  and  credits.  The  aim  of  this  course  was  to  dis- 
cuss in  a  scientific  manner  the  principal  topics  of  the  day,  espe- 
cially those  in  which  the  people  are  most  interested  in  the  West. 

In  the  lectures  it  was  intended  to  apply  all  of  the  principal 
laws  and  principles  of  political  economy,  so  that  during  the 
twelve  weeks  students  might  observe  the  workings  of  political 
economy  and  discover  its  laws  through  its  applications  to  present 
industrial  life. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  subjects  of  the  lectures  given : 
Money  and  its  Circulation,  How  a  Nation  Grows  Wealthy  (Pro- 
duction), The  Division  of  Wealth  Products,  Monopolies,  Social- 
ism and  Communism,  Immigration,  Taxation  and  Tax  Reforms, 
Irrigation  of  Arid  Lands,  Transportation,  Social  and  Economic 
Reforms  (two  lectures^,  The  Scope.  Method  and  Services  of 
Political  Economy. 

A  great  deal  of  interest  was  shown  on  the  part  of  the  students, 
and  permanent  good  resulted  from  the  course.  At  the  time  of 
writing,  it  is  not  known  how  many  will  take  the  examinations, 
consequently  certain  results  may  not  be  estimated.  In  the  two 
classes  referred  10,  one  in  Topeka  and  one  in  Kansas  City,  the 
membership  was  largely  composed  of  teachers,  lawyers,  judges, 
business-men,  and  artisans.* 

*In  Professor  Blase 's  class  there  were  twenty-one  lawyers,  twelve  teachers, 
twelve  students,  four  engineers,  physicians,  electricians,  operators,  clerks,  pub- 
lic officers,  etc. 


Kansas  and  Missouri.  211 

A  syllabus  of  each  lecture  was  printed  in  the  leading  papers 
prior  to  the  time  of  delivering  the  lectures.  These  outlines  were 
quite  full,  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  students  in  their  daily  stud- 
ies and  of  giving  them  a  well-rounded  idea  of  the  subject.  One 
lecture  was  delivered  each  week  on  Thursday  evening.  The  first 
hour  was  devoted  to  the  formal  presentation  of  the  subject  of  the 
evening,  and  the  second  to  the  informal  discussions  and  ques- 
tions. Arrangements  were  made  with  the  librarian  of  the  city 
library  to  collect  the  books  relating  to  the  subjects  of  the  lectures 
in  a  private  reading-room  for  the  consultation  of  those  who 
were  taking  the  course.  Some  studious  ones  availed  themselves 
of  this  privilege. 

While  this  work  was  being  inaugurated,  the  Kansas  State  Uni- 
versity, and  the  University  of  Missouri,  were  not  idle.  They 
each  organized  for  the  work,  sent  a  prospectus  of  the  conditions 
on  which  the  Extension  would  be  made,  and  established  a  system 
of  credits  for  students  in  the  prescribed  courses.  To  meet  the 
immediate  demands  of  students  in  these  courses,  the  University 
of  Kansas  adopted  the  following  regulations :  "  Persons  who 
hold  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  from  the  University  of 
Kansas,  or  from  other  institutions  of  equal  rank  with  it,  may 
receive  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  upon  the  satisfactory  com- 
pletion of  nine  University  Extension  courses  of  twelve  lectures 
each.  These  courses  shall  be  accompanied  by  such  study,  read- 
ing, and  examination  as  shall  be  prescribed  by  the  professors  in 
charge. ' ' 

"  Persons  not  holding  the  bachelor's  degree  upon  the  satisfac- 
tory completion  of  nine  University  Extension  courses  of  twelve 
lectures  each,  shall  receive  a  University  Extension  diploma." 

"Work  done  under  instructors  from  other  institutions  than 
the  University  of  Kansas  will  be  accepted  upon  examination  for 
not  more  than  four  of  the  nine  courses  necessary  for  a  degree  or 
a  diploma.  This  work  will  also  be  accepted  as  undergraduate 
work,  a  full  course  in  the  University  Extension  being  reckoned 
as  a  two-thirds  term  in  the  University.  Nine  twelve-lecture 
courses  will  be  accepted  as  equivalent  to  a  full  year's  work  at  the 
University. ' ' 


212     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

In  making  these  rules  the  faculty  of  the  University  realized 
that  only  a  comparatively  small  number  out  of  the  large  classes 
receiving  University  Extension  lectures  would  care  to  avail  them- 
selves of  these  provisions.  But  it  was  thought  best  to  make  it 
possible  for  all  who  desired,  to  receive  such  credit  extended  by 
the  University.  All  such  persons  are  duly  registered  as  students 
of  the  University  of  Kansas.  The  University  of  Missouri  for- 
mulated similar  provisions  respecting  credits  in  that  institution. 

The  second  course,  begun  under  the  direction  of  the  Kansas 
City  Society,  was  that  of  English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth 
Century.  This  was  also  a  large  and  interesting  class,  and  was 
successfully  carried  on  by  Professor  C.  G.  Dunlap,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Kansas.  The  following  list  of  subjects  will  indicate 
the  scope  of  the  work :  Literature  at  the  Close  of  the  Eighteenth 
Century,  William  Wordsworth,  Samuel  T.  Coleridge,  Percy 
Bysshe  Shelley,  John  Keats,  Lord  Byron,  John  Henry  Newman, 
The  Novel  (Thackeray  and  Dickens),  Tennyson,  George  Eliot, 
Robert  Browning. 

The  association  arranged  for  four  other  courses :  One  on 
Constitutional  Law,  by  Professor  Alexander  Martin,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Missouri,  and  one  on  the  Semitic  Languages,  by  Pro- 
fessor J.  S.  Blackwell,  of  the  same  institution.  Although  classes 
were  about  completed  for  these  gentlemen,  owing  to  the  unfor- 
tunate occurrence  of  the  burning  of  the  main  building  of  the 
Missouri  University,  they  found  it  necessary  to  give  all  of  their 
attention  to  home  work.  These  courses  of  lectures  will  probably 
be  given  next  year.  The  other  two  courses  arranged  for  are  by 
Professors  Blake  and  Carruth,  of  the  Kansas  University,  the 
former  on  Electricity  and  its  Modern  Applications,  and  the 
latter  on  German  Literature.  Professor  Blake's  course  is  similar 
to  that  given  in  Topeka  in  many  respects.  The  class  has  already 
been  formed  and  numbers  over  three  hundred, — the  largest  class 
yet  formed.  The  course  in  German  Literature  will  begin  soon. 
The  following  subjects  indicate  the  scope  of  the  work :  Martin 
Luther,  From  Luther  to  Lessing,  Lessing  (two  lectures),  The 
Storm  and  Stress  Period,  Goethe  (four  lectures),  Schiller  (three 
lectures). 


Kansas  and  Missouri.  2 1 3 

A  new  course  has  been  formed  in  Topeka  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Trades  and  Labor  Assembly.  This  will  be  carried  on  by 
the  writer,  after  the  course  in  Kansas  City  is  completed.  The 
subject  is  Political  Economy,  and  the  course  is  especially  arranged 
for  intelligent  working-men. 

Professor  E.  H.  S.  Bailey,  of  the  Kansas  University,  is  con- 
ducting a  very  interesting  course  in  the  Chemistry  of  Every-Day 
Life  at  Olathe,  Kansas.  The  class  is  large  and  enthusiastic. 
The  following  outline  will  suggest  the  nature  of  the  course :  The 
Atmosphere,  Combustion,  Artificial  Lighting,  Water,  Cleansing 
and  Bleaching  Materials,  Foods,  Sugars,  Nitrogenous  Foods, 
Fruits,  Non-Alcoholic  Beverages,  Digestion  and  Assimilation  of 
Food. 

A  course  of  eight  lectures  is  being  given  at  Abilene,  Kan.,  by 
various  instructors  of  the  University  of  Kansas.  The  lectures 
are  all  literary,  but  are  given  by  different  individuals.  Among 
those  who  have  already  been  selected  are  E.  M.  Hopkins,  A.  G. 
Canfield,  W.  H.  Carruth,  O.  Templin,  A.  M.  Wilcox,  and  C. 
G.  Dunlap.  Over  ninety  persons  have  entered  the  class.  This 
course  is  a  little  different  from  other  courses,  but  is  worthy  of 
mention  as  a  genuine  extension  of  university  instruction.  The 
people  of  Abilene  are  so  well  pleased  with  the  success  of  the 
enterprise  that  they  have  already  begun  to  plan  for  other  courses 
during  the  next  academic  year.  This  may  also  be  said  of  the 
people  of  other  towns.  They  say,  "Next  year  we  will  know 
how  to  carry  on  this  work  in  a  more  acceptable  manner." 

Two  courses  of  lectures  will  be  given  in  Wichita,  on  Astron- 
omy and  Geology.  The  former  will  be  given  by  Prof.  E.  Miller, 
and  the  latter  by  Prof.  S.  W.  Willston,  both  of  Kansas  State 
University.  Each  course  will  consist  of  six  lectures  only.  This 
promises  to  be  an  excellent  field  for  University  Extension. 

While  these  lectures  are  being  given  to  those  who  desire  them, 
the  single-lecture  system  is  kept  up  by  the  instructors  of  the 
University.  They  are  called  here  and  there  over  different  parts 
of  the  State  to  give  a  single  lecture  for  the  benefit  of  some  asso- 
ciation, college,  or  high  school.  Thus  we  have  an  account  of  the 
inauguration  of  University  Extension  in  the  Southwest.  It  will 


214     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

be  seen  by  the  foregoing  statement  that  the  movement  is  taking 
a  permanent  place  in  Western  education.  Many  lessons  have 
already  been  learned,  but  the  enterprise  is  still  in  an  experi- 
mental stage,  and  one  cannot  predict  what  will  be  the  future 
outcome.  It  would  seem  that  as  the  work  has  sprung  up  of 
itself,  unaided  by  any  systematic  urging,  it  has  a  fair  prospect  of 
becoming  permanent.  The  University  of  Kansas  has  not  urged 
the  movement  in  any  degree.  It  has  endeavored  to  supply  the 
demands,  and  to  give  such  information  as  has  been  sought  for  in 
the  formation  of  local  associations.  The  instructors  take  up  the 
work  somewhat  reluctantly,  owing  to  the  fact  that  they  have 
plenty  of  work  at  home,  yet  they  feel  it  a  duty  to  respond  to 
such  calls  when  they  can  do  so  without  interfering  seriously  with 
their  regular  work.  It  will  be  found  that  a  reasonable  amount 
of  such  work,  bringing  the  instructor,  as  it  does,  in  contact  with 
the  world  outside  of  the  University,  is  a  great  advantage  to  him, 
for  it  tends  to  quicken  him  and  prepare  him  for  more  vital 
instruction. 

The  preceding  brief  review  of  actual  work  done  has  been  for 
the  purpose  of  indicating  the  amount  and  quality  of  instruction 
that  has  been  given  in  this  line,  and  for  the  purpose  of  desig- 
nating the  general  plan  of  operation.  From  the  foregoing  history, 
and  from  the  record  of  similar  work  done  in  other  parts  of  the 
West,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  general  plan  of  the  work  is  well 
defined.  Each  prominent  institution  will  be  the  centre  for  the 
propagation  of  Extension  ideas  and  for  furnishing  lectures. 
Around  these  centres  local  associations  are  being  formed,  which 
will  take  the  responsibility  of  arranging  courses  for  the  people, 
of  forming  classes,  and  attending  to  the  financial  part  of  the 
enterprise.  Immediately  connected  with  the  people  whose  wants 
and  whose  ways  it  fully  understands,  a  strong  local  institution  is 
best  prepared  to  carry  on  University  Extension  within  the  radius 
of  its  influence.  This  is  its  natural  field  and  its  legitimate  ser- 
vice. It  is  a  natural  centre  of  educational  influence,  and  the 
people  look  upon  it  with  pride  and  are.  willing  to  be  instructed 
by  its  professors.  If  such  an  institution  be  a  living  one,  strong 
and  vigorous,  it  is  within  sympathetic  touch  with  the  people  and 


Kansas  and  Missouri.  2 1 5 

close  to  their  lives  and  thoughts.  While  it  may  administer  to 
their  educational  needs,  it  will,  on  the  other  hand,  lead  them  to 
enter  the  realm  of  higher  learning,  or  to  complete  the  course 
which  they  have  abandoned  long  ago..  It  will  be  seen  by  the 
foregoing  outline  that  much  of  the  work  is  of  an  advanced 
nature,  and  some  of  it  is  prepared  for  classes  who  have  made 
considerable  progress.  There  has  been  an  honest,  and  I  may 
say  successful,  endeavor  on  the  part  of  the  lecturers  to  suit^their 
instruction  to  the  needs  of  the  classes  under  their  charge.  A 
great  improvement  might  be  made  in  some  instances  in  the  prep- 
aration of  outlines  of  the  lecture,  which  are  to  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  members  of  the  class.  These  outlines  might  be 
more  complete,  and  be  composed  of  full  statements  of  facts  and 
principles  laid  down,  instead  of  the  suggested  heading.  These 
principles  and  facts  might  be  illustrated  fully,  so  that  the  student 
could  carry  in  his  mind  a  living  syllabus  rather  than  a  dead  one. 
Also,  it  may  be  seen  that  the  process  of  classification  of  the 
students  must  be  entered  into  more  fully  than  has  been  done,  if 
the  Extension  movement  is  to  grow  in  thoroughness  and  effi- 
ciency. The  registry  for  examination  and  for  grades  is  a  step 
towards  this,  and  in  due  time  the  problem  will  gradually  solve 
itself. 

The  writer  would  not  have  it  appear  that  the  University  of 
Kansas  is  the  only  institution  in  the  Southwest  engaged  in 
Extension  work.  Such  institutions  as  the  University  of  Mis- 
souri, William  Jewell,  Park,  Baker  University,  Manhattan  Agri- 
cultural College,  Washburn  College,  and  the  Emporia  Normal 
School,  have  furnished  many  lectures  to  the  people,  but  the 
University  of  Kansas  has  taken  the  most  complete  and  radical 
departure  in  this  respect  of  all  the  institutions  of  the  Southwest. 
Already  nine  full  courses,  of  twelve  lectures  each,  have  been 
commenced,  or  are  arranged  for  since  last  October,  and  the 
regular  system  of  single  lectures  has  been  maintained.  The 
limit  for  work  of  this  nature,  without  interfering  seriously  with 
routine  work,  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  about  twenty  courses 
each  year  of  twelve  lectures  each. 


216     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 


COLORADO. 

The  Denver  Society  for  University  Extension  was  organized 
on  May  24,  1891.  Secretary  George  Henderson,  of  the  Ameri- 
can Society,  gave  on  that  evening  an  address  before  the  trustees 
and  friends  of  the  University  of  Denver.  After  his  address  a 
temporary  organization  was  effected,  which  was  afterwards  made 
permanent,  and  Chancellor  William  F.  McDowell,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Denver,  was  chosen  president  of  the  Society.  On  its 
executive  committee  appear  the  names  of  State  Superintendent 
N.  B.  Coy;  Superintendent  Aaron  Gove,  of  Denver;  Professor 
J.  H.  Barker,  Dr.  James  C.  Shattuck,  Rev.  Dr.  A.  A.  Cameron, 
Bishop  H.  W.  Warren,  and  Hon.  H.  B.  Chamberlin. 

During  the  current  year  much  interest  has  been  shown  in  Ex- 
tension teaching  throughout  the  State.  In  addition  to  the  work 
in  Denver,  where  the  Colorado  State  College  and  the  University 
of  Colorado  are  co-operating  with  the  University  of  Denver,  a 
centre  has  been  established  in  Greeley,  where  Chancellor  McDow- 
ell is  delivering  a  course  of  six  lectures  on  the  French  Revolution. 


WYOMING. 

The  Wyoming  University  Extension  Association  was  organized 
at  Laramie,  Wyoming,  October  24,  1891,  with  sixteen  charter 
members.  The  president  of  the  Association  is  A.  A.  Johnson, 
President  of  the  University  of  Wyoming ;  Vice-President,  J.  D. 
Conley;  Secretary,  G.  R.  Hebard;  Treasurer,  J.  F.  Soule.  In 
addition  to  these  gentlemen,  the  following  are  members  of  the 
council:  C.  M.  McDonald,  H.  Merz,  and  F.  J.  Niswander,  of 
Laramie;  J.  O.  Churchill,  of  Cheyenne,  and  J.  B.  Logue,  of 
Evanston.  The  University  of  Wyoming  is  organizing  the  sys- 
tem of  Extension  teaching  throughout  the  State,  and  under  the 
able  guidance  of  President  A.  A.  Johnson,  the  founder  and  late 
President  of  the  Fort  Worth  University,  Texas,  is  making  itself 
strongly  felt  in  all  parts  of  the  commonwealth. 


California.  217 

CALIFORNIA. 

Under  date  of  September  23,  1891,  the  Academic  Council  of 
the  University  of  California  announced  that  Extension  courses 
would  be  given  in  San  Francisco  during  the  current  year,  on 
history,  literature,  and  mathematics.  The  course  on  history  by 
Professor  Bacon  is  being  delivered  at  present  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Unitarian  Church,  on  Thursday  evenings,  the  special  subject 
being  "The  Transition  from  Mediaeval  to  Modern  History." 
At  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  Professor  Charles  M.  Gayley,  of 
the  University  of  California,  is  delivering  an  afternoon  course 
on  Shakespeare.  Professor  Stringham  is  lecturing  on  algebra  to 
audiences  of  nearly  one  hundred  at  the  College  of  Pharmacy. 
The  number  of  students  in  attendance  on  the  lectures  in  history 
and  literature  is  about  four  hundred.  These  courses  extend  over 
a  full  college  term  of  fourteen  weeks,  and  are  entirely  free  to  the 
public.  Full  credit  for  corresponding  courses  at  the  Universi- 
ties is  given  to  those  passing  satisfactory  examinations.  It  is  to 
be  noted  that  these  courses  have  tended  directly  to  the  advantage 
of  the  University  in  increasing  public  interest  in  their  work.  A 
special  proof  is  the  action  of  those  attending  the  lectures  in 
English  Literature.  The  class,  which  numbers  about  four  hun- 
dred, has  generously  contributed  two  hundred  dollars  towards  a 
Shakespearian  library  for  the  University.  It  is  proposed  to  give 
courses  in  ethics  and  political  economy  later  in  the  year. 

A  University  Extension  Club  has  been  organized  at  San  Jose", 
Cal.,  with  the  following  officers :  H.  Melville  Tenney,  President; 
Miss  Mary  Hazelton,  Secretary,  and  Professor  Manzer,  Treas- 
urer. The  membership  fee  for  the  first  year  was  fixed  at  two 
dollars,  and  transferable  tickets  for  the  first  course  of  lectures 
was  at  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  for  those  not  members  of  the 
club.  Two  courses  of  six  lectures  each  have  been  arranged  for 
the  current  year.  The  first  on  Evolution,  by  President  David 
Starr  Jordan,  of  the  Leland  Stanford  University,  is  to  begin  in 
the  latter  part  of  January,  and  is  to  be  followed  by  a  second 
course  on  Astronomy,  by  Professor  E.  E.  Barnard,  of  the  Lick 
Observatory. 


2 1 8     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

At  Oakland,  an  Extension  centre  has  been  established,  and 
Professor  George  H.  Howison,  of  the  State  University,  has  been 
engaged  to  lecture  on  Ethics  during  February  and  March.  A 
fourth  Extension  centre  is  organized  at  San  Diego,  the  President 
of  which  is  Mr.  B.  F.  McDaniel. 

CANADA. 

On  November  5  and  6,  1891,  a  conference,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Ministry  of  Education,  was  held  in  Toronto  to  discuss 
the  subject  of  University  Extension.  The  evening  address  on 
October  5  was  by  President  Edmund  J.  James,  of  the  Ameri- 
can Society,  who  pointed  out  the  place  of  University  Extension 
in  a  general  scheme  of  public  education,  and  emphasized  the 
importance  of  the  movement  as  supplementing  the  primary  and 
secondary  schools,  and  as  extending  greatly  the  influence  of  the 
higher  institutions  of  learning.  The  account  he  gave  of  the 
American  Society,  and  of  what  had  been  accomplished  in  the 
United  States,  was  the  moving  impulse  towards  the  organization 
on  the  succeeding  day  of  the  Canadian  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Teaching,  the  constitution  of  which  was  modelled 
on  that  of  the  American  Society.  The  following  gentlemen 
were  chosen  officers :  Presidents,  Sir  Daniel  Wilson,  Chancellor 
of  McGill  University ;  Hon.  G.  W.  Allan,  Chancellor  of  Trinity 
University ;  Hon.  Edward  Blake,  of  Toronto ;  Sandford  Flem- 
ing, Chancellor  of  Queen's  University;  Professor  Goldwin 
Smith  ;  and  Abbe  Laflame,  of  Laval  University ;  Treasurer,  B.  E. 
Walker,  of  the  Bank  of  Commerce ;  Secretary,  William  Houston, 
M.  A.,  the  distinguished  economist.  Under  the  general  direc- 
tion of  the  Canadian  Society  many  centres  have  been  established, 
and  courses,  principally  on  history,  literature,  and  science,  de- 
livered in  Toronto,  London,  Ottawa,  and  Hamilton.  Among 
the  most  successful  lecturers  have  been  Professors  Clark,  Hunting- 
ford,  Schofield,  Pitman,  and  Rigby,  on  literature ;  Professor  G. 
J.  Hume,  on  ethics,  and  Professor  J.  T.  Crawford,  on  electricity. 

The  University  of  New  Brunswick,  in  connection  with  the 
New  Brunswick  Natural  History  Society,  has  organized  Uni- 


Canada.  219 

versity  Extension  in  and  around  St.  John,  N.  B.  The  following 
courses,  of  eight  lectures  each,  were  begun  on  Monday,  Novem- 
ber 23,  and  continued  during  the  succeeding  weeks :  Monday, 
"Physics,"  Professor  Duff;  Tuesday,  "History  of  England, 
1640-1659,"  Rev.  J.  DeSoyres;  Wednesday,  "Botany,"  Mr. 
G.  U.  Hay:  Thursday,  "Philosophy,"  Dr.  D.  Macrae;  Friday, 
"Zoology,"  Dr.  Bailey.  On  the  completion  of  these  courses, 
about  the  end  of  January,  the  following  will  succeed  them: 
"English  Literature,"  Professor  Stockley;  "Geology,"  Mr.  G. 
F.  Matthew;  "Chemistry,"  Mr.  A.  E.  Macintyre;  "Political 
Economy,"  Professor  Murray;  "Law,"  Dr.  I.  A.  Jack  and 
Dr.  A.  A.  Stockton. 


THE  REPORT 

OF  THE 

AMERICAN    SOCIETY 

FOR   THE 

EXTENSION  OF  UNIVERSITY  TEACHING, 

NOVEMBER  3,  1890,— DECEMBER  31,  1891. 

BY  GEORGE   HENDERSON, 

General  Secretary. 


IN  the  first  months  of  1890,  there  was  in  the  United  States  not 
only  no  particular  interest  in  the  definite  work  of  University  Ex- 
tension, but  no  clear  idea  as  to  what  the  movement  really  is  or 
what  the  methods  are  which  it  employs.  Attempts  had  indeed 
been  made  to  introduce  here  and  there  some  particular  idea  or 
phase  of  the  work.  These,  however,  had  excited  little  attention, 
and  even  when  measurably  successful  had  hardly  tended  to  make 
the  details  of  the  system  known  or  its  results  appreciated. 

This  condition  of  things  has  greatly  changed.  It  is  no  longer 
necessary  to  appeal  to  transatlantic  experience  when  a  question 
is  asked  as  to  the  purposes,  methods,  and  results  of  Extension 
Teaching.  The  objection  cannot  now  be  made  that  this  system 
may  be  good  for  England  or  for  Austria,  but  is  not  adapted  to 
American  conditions.  The  success  of  the  great  object-lesson 
carried  on  by  the  American  Society  and  reaching  now  into  six 
States,  and  the  experiments  conducted  by  various  other  societies 

221 


222     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

and  institutions  have  made  it  henceforth  easier  to  introduce  the 
work  throughout  the  country. 

In  February,  1890,  a  number  of  the  leading  educators  of  Phila- 
•delphia  met,  by  the  invitation  of  Provost  Pepper,  to  discuss  the 
movement  and  the  advisability  of  organizing  it.  It  seemed  to  all 
that  the  work  offered  great  opportunities  for  the  whole  country, 
and  it  was  proposed  to  make  the  first  trial  in  that  city.  The 
plan  met  the  approval  of  those  present  and  of  all  who  were  con- 
sulted during  the  succeeding  months,  and  the  co-operation  of  the 
neighboring  higher  institutions  was  pledged.  In  order  to  com- 
mence the  work  with  the  advantage  of  an  intimate  acquaintance 
with  English  methods,  the  secretary  was  sent  to  study  the  sys- 
tem as  organized  in  Oxford,  Cambridge,  and  London.  On  his 
return  in  the  fall,  he  drew  up  a  "  Report  on  the  University  Ex- 
tension Movement  in  England,"  which  was  published  by  the 
Society.  In  the  mean  time  a  communication  had  been  sent  to 
libraries,  institutes,  and  associations  of  every  character,  describing 
the  work  about  to  be  undertaken  and  inviting  their  co-operation 
in  the  formation  of  local  centres.  A  descriptive  brochure  was 
also  issued  to  the  general  public  explaining  the  nature  and  scope 
of  the  new  movement. 

General  interest  was  easily  aroused.  It  was  determined  to 
organize  at  least  six  local  centres,  and  it  was  at  first  thought  that 
much  stimulation  would  be  necessary.  This,  it  was  soon  seen,  was 
unnecessary,  as  a  stream  of  applications  came  pouring  in  from 
every  section,  and  instead  of  six  centres  within  a  radius  of  fifty 
miles  of  Philadelphia,  during  the  first  year  of  work,  there  were 
formed  twenty-three.  The  work  to  a  large  extent  was  sponta- 
neous, and  great  caution  had  to  be  observed  in  restraining  the 
local  organizations  from  attempting  too  many  courses. 

At  every  point  where  lectures  and  classes  are  held  we  have 
formed  an  organization  called  a  local  centre,  governed  by  a  local 
committee,  which  takes  entire  charge  of  every  detail  connected 
with  the  work  at  that  point.  Of  these  organizations  there  are 
many  types.  One  is  formed  by  a  library,  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  or  institute ;  another  by  the  establishment  of  an  en- 
tirely new  organization  composed  of  the  influential  people  of  the 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  223 

place ;  still  another,  by  using  the  local  institution  as  a  nucleus 
around  which  to  rally  a  representative  committee.  On  the 
whole  we  believe  the  last  type  of  centre  to  be  the  most  successful. 
But  as  the  centre  develops  so  must  its  organization.  Generally 
the  centre  starts  out  with  the  definite  aim  of  successfully  carrying 
through  a  course  of  six  or  twelve  lectures.  The  one  thing  before 
the  mind  of  the  organization  during  that  stage  of  the  work  is 
the  securing  of  sufficient  funds  to  make  it  financially  safe.  After 
the  first  course  is  finished,  too  many  of  the  centres  endeavor  to 
go  on  floating  a  second  or  a  third  course  on  the  same  basis. 
They  have  overlooked  the  fact  that  the  first  course  was  organized 
spontaneously,  that  they  have  not  yet  become  a  permanent  factor 
in  the  life  of  the  community,  and  that  they  have  really  no  nucleus 
around  which  to  rally.  True  it  is  that  they  have  a  nucleus  of 
organizers,  but  this  is  not  enough ;  they  must  have  a  nucleus  in 
a  student  body.  Indeed,  it  should  be  the  effort  of  the  organi- 
zation at  this  stage  not  so  much  to  secure  subscriptions  as  to 
secure  students.  This  has  been  the  rock  upon  which  a  great 
many  of  our  local  centres  have  been  thrown,  and  upon  which,  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  two  or  three  have  foundered. 

Association  Local  Centre  was  organized  in  the  building  of  the 
Central  Branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
which  is  located  in  the  heart  of  Philadelphia,  at  Fifteenth  and 
Chestnut  Streets.  That  Association  did  not  abandon  its  educa- 
tional work,  which  was  of  an  elementary  character,  but  practi- 
cally gave  over  the  more  advanced  work  to  the  local  centre. 
While  the  local  committee  is  presided  over  by  a  man  who  is  one 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Central  Branch  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  the  latter  organization  has  no  voice 
whatsoever  in  its  deliberations.  The  committee  was  formed, 
numbering  about  thirty,  broadly  representative  of  the'  section  of 
the  city  in  which  the  centre  is  located.  There  are  upon  it  phy- 
sicians, lawyers,  bankers,  teachers,  business-men,  and  a  large 
percentage  of  ladies.  Owing  to  its  peculiar  position  this  centre 
has  been  compelled  to  carry  on  work  of  a  more  or  less  popular 
character.  However,  it  has  this  year  been  successful  in  securing 
a  sequence  of  courses;  the  first  one  being  on  the  "Study  of 


224     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Political  Economy;"  second,  "  Socialism  ;"  third,  "  The  Change 
in  Political  Economy;"  fourth,  "Some  Economic  Questions;" 
and  fifth,  "  Revolutions  in  Commerce." 

The  local  committee  at  the  West  Philadelphia  Centre  was 
formed  without  the  usual  nucleus.  A  number  of  the  influential 
people  living  in  that  neighborhood  were  invited  to  attend  an  in- 
formal meeting,  which  was  held  in  the  library  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania.  The  secretary  of  the  society  was  present  to 
explain  the  aim  of  the  work  about  to  be  undertaken  and  the 
plan  of  procedure.  After  securing  an  informal  organization, 
the  use  of  the  University  Chapel  was  granted  to  them,  and, 
as  several  members  of  the  committee  were  actively  interested 
in  the  West  Philadelphia  Institute,  the  co-operation  of  that  in- 
stitution was  secured.  At  first  the  local  committee  was  com- 
posed very  largely  of  men,  but  when  it  was  found  that  ladies 
could  lend  a  very  material  assistance,  a  number  were  invited  to 
serve  on  the  committee,  and  as  a  consequence  great  stimulus  was 
given  to  the  work.  A  public  meeting  was  arranged,  at  which  the 
leading  educators  of  the  city  spoke  and  a  formal  organization 
effected.  The  general  local  committee  appointed  a  number  of 
sub-committees,  which  are  held  responsible  for  certain  definite 
parts  of  the  work. 

The  Wagner  Institute  Centre  was  organized  at  the  Wagner 
Free  Institute  of  Science,  located  in  the  northwestern  part  of 
Philadelphia.  The  managers  of  the  Institute  were  instrumental  in 
calling  into  existence  the  local  committee,  their  actuary  becom- 
ing the  local  secretary,  and  their  splendid  hall  being  granted  for 
the  use  of  the  centre.  The  section  of  the  city  in  which  this 
centre  is  located  is  one  of  the  most  favorable  for  work  of  this 
character.  For  ten  or  fifteen  years  the  Wagner  Free  Institute 
has  been  giving,  annually,  courses  in  special  branches  of  science 
which  have  been  free  to  the  public.  This  fact  has  proved  only 
slightly  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  Extension  courses  for  which  a 
charge  is  made.  The  organization  at  this  place  was  formally 
announced  by  a  public  meeting  at  which  many  leading  educators 
spoke. 

Germantown,  one  of  the  flourishing  suburbs  of  Philadelphia, 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  225 

with  a  population  of  fifty  thousand,  is  one  of  the  points  most 
favorable  for  organizing  this  work,  but  was  one  of  the  last  to 
take  hold  of  it.  The  matter  was  first  taken  up  and  discussed  at 
one  of  the  Monday  morning  meetings  of  the  ministers,  and  they 
held  that,  as  several  of  the  leading  Evangelists  had  failed  to 
secure  any  considerable  audiences,  it  was  in  their  opinion 
very  doubtful  if  the  work  could  be  made  a  success.  In  the 
mean  time,  however,  a  number  of  gentlemen  connected  with  the 
Workingmen's  Club,  took  up  the  discussion  of  the  question  and 
decided  to  make  an  attempt  to  organize  the  work.  As  a  pre- 
liminary step  they  arranged  for  an  illustrated  lecture  by  Dr. 
Henry  Leffmann  on  Bacteria,  and  announced  that  at  the  close  of 
the  same  there  would  be  an  address  on  University  Extension  by 
Provost  Pepper  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that  an 
organization  would  be  effected.  As  the  Koch  discoveries  had 
just  been  announced,  an  overflowing  house  was  obtained  and 
much  interest  evinced  in  the  work  about  to  be  started.  A  com- 
mittee representative  of  the  different  interests  was  formed,  and 
the  carrying  out  of  the  details  was  delegated  to  two  or  three  sub- 
committees. During  the  first  year  a  Students'  Association  was 
organized  for  the  study  of  Tennyson.  Its  meetings  were  con- 
tinued far  into  the  summer,  the  average  attendance  being  forty- 
seven. 

Frankford  was  one  of  the  first  sections  of  the  city  to  take  hold 
of  the  new  movement  and  organize  a  local  centre,  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Wright's  Institute  taking  the  initiative.  The  Insti- 
tute placed  its  hall  at  the  command  of  the  local  centre,  and  its 
facilities,  in  the  way  of  library  and  reading-room,  were  thrown 
open  to  the  students.  In  organizing  the  work  the  local  com- 
mittee arranged  for  two  popular  illustrated  lectures  on  Napoleon, 
by  Mr.  Charles  H.  Adams,  and  announced  that  at  the  close  of 
these  there  would  be  an  address  explaining  University  Extension. 
A  large  audience  was  secured,  and,  as  a  result,  an  enthusiastic 
centre  which  has  increased  in  usefulness  and  strength.  It  should 
be  added  that  at  this  centre  a  large  part  of  the  work  has  devolved 
on  the  very  energetic  local  secretary.  The  school-teachers  living 
in  that  vicinity  took  a  very  active  interest  in  the  work.  A  strong 

15 


226     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Students'  Association  was  formed,  which  has  ever  been  anxious 
to  secure  a  sequence  of  courses.  In  one  instance,  their  number 
pledged  the  necessary  funds  to  do  this. 

The  first  local  centre  to  be  formed  was  at  Roxborough,  a 
suburb  of  Philadelphia,  in  connection  with  St.  Timothy's  Insti- 
tute and  Workingmen'sClub.  Through  the  influence  of  several 
members  of  the  Institute,  a  large  representation  was  secured  at 
an  informal  meeting,  from  the  workingmen  of  the  Pencoyd 
Iron-Works  and  other  shops  in  that  vicinity.  The  secretary  ex- 
plained the  work  about  to  be  undertaken,  and,  before  the  meeting 
adjourned,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  look  into  the  plans. 
They  arranged  for  two  lectures  on  Napoleon,  by  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Adams,  at  which  a  large  audience  was  secured  and  an  opportunity 
given  to  explain  the  objects  of  the  new  movement.  A  local 
committee  was  selected,  with  the  foreman  of  the  Pencoyd  Iron 
Works  as  chairman.  The  difficulties  attendant  upon  the  work 
at  this  place  are  great.  This  section  of  the  city  is  composed 
almost  entirely  of  the  working  classes,  and,  while  there  are  a  num- 
ber who  could  aid  them,  they  do  not  seem  so  disposed.  It  being 
a  mill  district,  strikes  and  fires  have  several  times  interfered  with 
the  progress  of  courses. 

At  Holmesburg,  one  of  the  older  portions  of  Philadelphia,  a 
local  centre  was  organized  in  connection  with  those  interested  in 
the  Holme  Library.  In  previous  years  there  had  been  a  lyceum 
committee,  which  was  abandoned.  The  local  committee  took 
hold  of  the  work  with  great  vigor,  thoroughly  canvassing  the 
town  and  securing  a  large  number  of  subscribers  within  forty- 
eight  hours. 

Lansdowne  is  located  but  a  few  miles  from  the  city ;  it  has  a 
total  population  of  but  eight  hundred  people.  For  several  years 
they  had  had  an  entertainment  committee,  which  was  reorganized 
for  the  new  purpose.  As  a  preliminary  step,  the  two  lectures  on 
Napoleon,  by  Mr.  Charles  H.  Adams,  were  given.  The  work 
was  explained  and  a  centre  organized.  The  centre  has  been  re- 
markably successful  and  the  attendance  most  encouraging,  the 
average  being  over  a  hundred. 

At  Norristown,  the  secretary  met  with  the  preliminary  com- 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  227 

mittee  a  number  of  times  before  they  finally  decided  to  take 
hold  of  the  work.  They  held  that  the  people  did  not  take 
an  interest  in  the  work  and  that  Norristown  had  no  place  for  it. 
It  was,  however,  decided  to  make  an  effort  to  see  what  could  be 
done,  and  a  public  meeting  was  called  in  the  Court-House,  and 
Provost  Pepper,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  announced 
as  the  speaker  of  the  evening.  The  result  was  that  a  large  audi- 
ence was  secured  and  an  organization  effected.  It  can  be  added 
that  this  is  one  of  our  most  successful  centres. 

For  a  number  of  years  in  Camden  there  has  existed  a  Fort- 
nightly Club,  the  officers  of  which  came  to  the  Society  to  secure 
lecturers.  They  wanted  them,  however,  for  their  own  meetings, 
and  did  not  at  first  care  to  organize  a  local  centre.  The  Society 
took  the  ground  that  as  nearly  all  the  influential  people  of  Cam- 
den  were  connected  with  the  Fortnightly  Club,  and  as  it  seemed 
unlikely  that  a  local  centre  would  be  formed  without  their  aid, 
that  University  Extension  should  not  be  made  so  exclusive  an 
affair.  The  Fortnightly  Club  then  agreed  to  organize  a  local 
committee  and  open  the  courses  to  the  general  public.  The 
work  has  gone  on  with  increasing  success  from  the  outset. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  organization  of  a  centre,  there  is  a 
tendency  to  over-confidence,  and  it  is  not  until  the  real  struggle 
for  the  continuation  of  the  work  commences  that  the  local  com- 
mittees will  make  an  effort  to  acquaint  themselves  with  the  general 
history  of  the  movement.  The  centres  which  have  been  most 
successful  are  the  ones  that  have  emphasized  the  work  of  the 
students.  University  Extension  must  be  more  than  a  substitute 
for  the  Lyceum,  and  this  can  only  be  accomplished  through  the 
students  whose  interests  should  be  properly  cared  for. 

In  connection  with  every  course,  immediately  after  or  before 
the  lecture,  a  class  is  held  at  which  the  students  and  the  lecturer 
meet  for  an  informal  discussion  of  the  subject.  Also  in  connec- 
tion with  each  course  there  has  been  published  a  syllabus,  giving 
among  other  things  an  abstract  of  the  course,  suggested  works 
for  collateral  reading,  and  questions  upon  which  is  based  the 
weekly-paper  work,  which  is  mailed  to  the  lecturer  and  returned 
at  the  following  class.  In  the  publication  of  these  syllabi  we 


228     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

have  made  it  a  constant  aim  that  they  shall  be  more  than  an 
abstract  of  the  course, — a  guide  to  the  study  of  that  portion  of 
the  subject.  This  fact  will  be  more  clearly  recognized  when  it 
is  understood  that  the  average  size  of  the  syllabi  thus  far  pub- 
lished is  sixteen  pages. 

After  giving  two  courses  at  Association  Local  Centre  and 
Wagner  Institute  in  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Moulton  said  in  his  report 
that  the  quality  of  the  work  done  by  the  students  had  decidedly 
improved  in  the  second  courses  at  each  of  these  places,  adding: 
"The  audiences  are  magnificent;  they  have  had  the  effect  of 
making  the  whole  course  a  demonstration  in  favor  of  University 
Extension."  In  speaking  of  his  course  on  "Astronomy,"  also 
given  at  Association  Local  Centre,  Professor  Charles  A.  Young, 
of  Princeton,  compared  the  work  received  from  one  of  the  stu- 
dents as  equal  to  that  of  his  best  seniors.  It  was  a  gratifying 
surprise  to  Professor  George  S.  Fullerton,  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  to  find  that  his  somewhat  difficult  subject,  "  Psy- 
chology," should  be  so  readily  popularized.  In  his  report  on 
the  course  he  says,  "  I  never  had  more  attentive  audiences,  nor  I 
believe  more  intelligent  on  the  whole." 

Last  year  forty-three  courses  were  given,  with  an  average  at- 
tendance of  9160,  whose  aggregate* attendances  numbered  60,573. 
(See  table  of  results  at  close  of  report.)  There  were  nineteen 
courses  on  literature,  eight  on  history,  one  on  descriptive  astron- 
omy, four  on  chemistry,  one  on  psychology,  one  on  biology,  two 
on  botany,  two  on  electricity,  one  on  mathematics  with  applica- 
tions to  mechanics,  one  on  algebra,  and  one  on  zoology.  The 
most  of  these  were  six  lectures  in  length  \  the  average  for  the 
forty-three  courses  being  7.6.  The  average  attendance  .at  the 
courses  was  two  hundred  and  fifty.  The  number  of  those  taking 
the  examination,  while  not  very  large,  was  encouraging ;  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-one  passed  successfully.  Four  of  these  were  in 
geology,  eleven  in  mathematics,  twenty  in  algebra,  one  hundred 
and  eight  in  literature,  seven  in  physics,  fourteen  in  history, 
fifty-one  in  botany,  and  eleven  in  psychology. 

Twenty-four  of  the  students  received  two  certificates,  nine 
three,  four  four,  one  five,  and  one  six.  Sixty-three  per  cent,  of 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  229 

those  attending  the  lectures  remained  to  the  class  exercises ;  five 
and  one-half  per  cent,  of  the  class  wrote  weekly  papers ;  seventy- 
two  per  cent,  of  those  writing  weekly  papers  took  the  examina- 
tion, and  ninety-three  per  cent,  of  these  passed  successfully. 

The  work  thus  far  developed  in  this  country  differs  very 
materially  from  that  in  England  in  these  respects, — the  audiences 
are  larger  and  seem  to  possess,  as  described  by  an  English  lec- 
turer, more  intellectual  curiosity ;  the  proportion  of  the  audience 
which  remains  for  the  class  is  also  larger.  This,  indeed,  has  very 
clearly  shown  that  the  English  methods  must  be  materially  modi- 
fied. It  may  be  necessary  to  develop  what  might  be  called  a 
second  class  for  the  real  student  nucleus,  or,  possibly,  as  an  alter- 
nate way  out  of  the  difficulty,  we  must  look  forward  to  well- 
organized  Students'  Associations,  presided  over  perhaps  by  assist- 
ant lecturers. 

In  reaching  those  towns  more  or  less  isolated  from  our  general 
offices,  we  have  employed  the  plan  of  circuits  with  encouraging 
success.  To  form  these,  from  four  to  six  towns  within  easy  reach 
by  railroad  unite  and  decide  upon  a  common  lecturer  and  sub- 
ject, selecting  successive  nights  in  the  week.  The  lecturer  then 
repairs  to  that  section  and  remains  there  during  the  progress  of 
the  course. 

Thus  far  this  season,  dating  from  October  i,  there  have  been 
delivered  in  all  fifty- one  courses :  twelve  on  American  history, 
four  on  English  history,  four  on  American  literature,  seventeen 
on  English  literature,  nine  on  political  economy,  two  on  elec- 
tricity, one  on  geology,  one  on  mathematics,  one  on  psychology, 
and  two  on  physics. 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  the  last  three  months  there  have  been 
given  more  courses  than  were  delivered  during  the  whole  of  last 
year.  The  number  of  centres  has  been  more  than  doubled. 
This  year's  work  is  characterized  by  the  organization  of  Students' 
Associations  at  most  of  the  centres ;  some  are  already  strong 
enough  to  pledge  the  necessary  expense  to  the  local  committee  in 
order  to  secure  a  sequence  of  courses.  The  audiences  show  a 
wide  variety  of  occupation.  The  afternoon  courses  are,  how- 
ever, attended  mostly  by  ladies,  while  at  the  evening  courses  can 


230     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

be  found  workingmen  in  small  groups,  teachers,  lawyers,  and  uni- 
versity graduates. 

The  class  in  mathematics,  to  which  a  course  of  twelve  lectures 
was  delivered,  is  perhaps  the  most  striking  and  unique  illustra- 
tion of  the  development  of  the  work  in  this  country.  Last 
November  a  year,  an  artisan  from  one  of  the  shops  in  this  city 
called  at  the  office  of  the  Society  to  ascertain  if  a  course  in  Mathe- 
matics, with  its  application  to  mechanics,  would  be  delivered. 
He  volunteered  to  organize  the  class,  providing  the  Society  would 
secure  the  lecturer.  Every  shop  in  the  city  and  suburbs  was 
visited,  and  the  names  of  some  forty  of  his  fellow-workers  who 
were  willing  to  pledge  themselves  to  payment  of  a  fee  of  five  dol- 
lars for  the  privilege  of  attending  such  a  course,  were  secured. 
The  Society  then  undertook  it,  and  when  the  night  of  the 
first  lecture  arrived  was  surprised  to  find  one  hundred  and 
sixty  in  attendance.  The  result  was  that  the  fee  was  imme- 
diately reduced  to  three  dollars,  and  the  course  was  successfully 
organized.  The  usual  attendance  was  seventy-two.  The  aver- 
age number  of  those  writing  weekly  papers  was  twenty-three, 
or  thirty  per  cent,  of  the  audience ;  fourteen,  or  twenty  per  cent., 
presented  themselves  for  examination ;  and  eleven,  or  sixteen  per 
cent.,  passed  successfully. 

For  those  who  may  be  interested  in  this  course,  the  syllabus  of 
Lecture  XL  is  appended. 

LECTURE  XI. 

MOMENTS. 

The  moments  of  a  force  with  respect  to  a  point  is  the  product  of  the  force 
into  the  perpendicular  distance  of  the  line  of  action  of  the  force  from  the 
point.  This  distance  is  called  the  arm  of  the  force.  That  is,  the  moment  of 
a  force  is  the  measure  of  the  tendency  of  the  force  to  cause  the  body  upon 
which  it  acts  to  revolve  about  the  point  with  respect  to  which  the  moment  is 
taken.  The  moment  of  a  force  as  here  defined  is  sometimes  called,  more 
specifically,  the  statical  moment. 

If  two  forces  tend  to  cause  a  body  upon  which  they  act  to  revolve  in  oppo- 
site directions  about  the  point  with  respect  to  which  moments  are  taken,  the 
moments  of  the  forces  are  distinguished  by  the  signs  -|-  and  — . 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  231 

The  moment  of  the  resultant  of  a  system  of  forces  acting  in  one  plane 
upon  a  body  is  equal  to  the  algebraic  sum  of  the  moments  of  the  individual 
forces  composing  the  system. 

If  a  body  which  can  turn  only  in  one  plane  about  one  point  is  acted  upon 
by  a  system  of  forces,  the  algebraic  sum  of  the  moments  of  which,  about  that 
point,  is  zero,  then  the  system  will  be  in  equilibrium,  so  far  as  revolution 
about  that  point  is  concerned.  Should  the  algebraic  sum  of  the  moments  of 
the  forces  not  vanish,  motion  will  ensue.  If  it  is  required  then  to  establish 
equilibrium  a  new  force  must  be  applied,  whose  moment  added  (algebraically) 
to  the  sum  of  the  others  produces  zero. 

The  above  is  a  generalization  of  the  well-known  principle  of  the  lever. 
[See  Todhunter's  Mechanics  for  Beginners,  Chaps.  V.,  VI.,  XI.,  and  XIII.] 

PARALLEL    FORCES. 

If  in  a  system  of  parallel  forces  all  the  forces  act  in  the  same  direction,  the 
resultant  of  the  system  acts  in  the  same  direction  and  is  equal  to  the  sum  of 
the  forces.  If  some  of  the  forces  act  in  one  direction  and  some  in  the  other, 
the  resultant  is  equal  to  the  difference  between  the  sum  of  those  acting  in  one 
way  and  the  sum  of  those  acting  in  the  other,  and  it  acts  in  the  direction  of 
the  greater  of  these  two  sums.  To  find  the  point  of  application  of  the  re- 
sultant we  take  moments  about  any  point  in  the  plane  of  the  forces.  Thus,  — 
let  Pv  P2,  /^  ...  be  a  system  of  parallel  forces,  and  av  a2,  a3  .  ,  .  the 
perpendicular  distances  of  their  lines  of  action  from  any  point  in  their  plane. 
Let  R  be  the  resultant  and  x  its  arm.  Then,  first  : 


And  :         Rx  =  (P^  +  P2a2  +  P^  +  •  t  •) 

from  which  x  and  R  can  be  computed.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to  give 
each  of  the  forces  and  each  of  the  moments  in  these  equations  its  proper 
sign.  The  -f-  sign  used  in  them  indicates  the  algebraic  sum. 

The  point  of  application  of  the  resultant  of  a  system  of  parallel  forces  is 
called  the  centre  of  the  system. 

If  two  equal  forces  are  parallel,  and  act  in  opposite  directions,  they  have 
no  resultant,  and  their  tendency  in  acting  upon  a  body  is  simply  to  produce 
revolution  in  their  own  plane.  Such  a  system  is  called  a  couple.  The 
moment  of  a  couple  is  the  same  about  every  point  in  its  plane,  and  is  equal  to 
the  product  of  one  of  the  forces  into  the  perpendicular  between  them. 
[See  Todhunter's  Mechanics  for  Beginners,  Chaps.  IV.  and  VIII.] 

CENTRE    OF    GRAVITY. 

The  centre  of  gravity  is  defined  thus  (Todhunter's  Mechanics  for  Beginners, 
p.  72)  :  "  The  centre  of  gravity  of  a  body  or  system  of  bodies  is  a  point  on 
which  the  body  or  system  of  bodies  will  balance  in  all  positions,  supposing 


232     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

the  point  to  be  supported,  the  body  or  system  to  be  acted  on  only  by  gravity, 
and  the  parts  of  the  body  or  system  to  be  rigidly  connected  with  the  point." 

To  determine  the  position  of  the  centre  of  gravity  of  a  system  of  heavy 
particles,  we  regard  the  weights  of  the  several  particles  as  parallel  forces  and 
then  determine  the  line  of  action  of  the  resultant  of  the  forces.  We  do  this 
with  the  particles  in  two  different  positions  with  respect  to  the  horizon.  The 
intersection  of  the  lines  of  action  of  the  resultants  will  be  the  centre  of  gravity. 

By  the  centre  of  gravity  of  a  plane  area  is  meant  the  centre  of  gravity  of 
a  thin  uniform  sheet  of  some  substance  in  the  shape  of  the  area. 

The  centre  of  gravity  of  a  uniform  rod  is  its  middle  point. 

The  centre  of  gravity  of  a  triangle  is  the  intersection  of  the  medial  lines. 

The  centre  of  gravity  of  any  plane  figure  symmetrical  about  a  point  is  the 
centre  of  symmetry  of  the  figure. 

[See  Todhunter's  Mechanics  for  Beginners,  Chap.  X.] 

It  gives  me  pleasure  to  report  that  this  course  has  been  re- 
peated this  year  with  results  even  more  surprising  than  last. 
Immediately  after  the  holidays  a  supplementary  course  will  be 
given  by  Professor  H.  W.  Spangler,  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, on  "The  Strength  of  Materials." 

It  is  unfortunate  that  so  many  are  inclined  to  look  upon  this 
as  a  class  movement,  and  endeavor,  after  a  fashion  of  their  own, 
to  reach  workingmen  in  large  numbers.  Our  experience  is  that 
they  can  best  be  reached  through  one  of  their  own  number.  If 
they  are  patronized,  and  if  courses  are  organized  for  them  and  for 
them  alone,  with  these  they  have  little  or  no  sympathy.  Indeed, 
a  number  of  them  in  this  city  very  frankly  told  us  that  if  we 
should  deal  with  them  as  workingmen,  they  would  have  nothing 
to  do  with  the  movement ;  but  that  if  we  were  prepared  to  deal 
with  them  as  citizens,  then  they  would  be  glad  to  come  in  and 
take  part  in  the  work. 

To  show  the  range  of  courses  given  in  this  first  year  of  Exten- 
sion teaching  the  following  list  is  appended. 

American  Literature. 
Euripides  for  English  Audiences. 
Four  Studies  in  Shakespeare. 
General  Survey  of  English  Literature. 
Milton's  Poetic  Art. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  233 

Modern  Essayists. 

Shakespeare  Tempest  with  Companion  Studies. 

Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking. 

Story  of  Faust. 

Algebra. 

Animal  Life  considered  as  a  part  of  Universal  Energy. 

Applied  Electricity. 

Botany. 

Chemistry. 

Descriptive  Astronomy. 

Geology  and  Paleontology. 

Mathematics  with  applications  to  Mechanics. 

Practical  Analytical  Botany. 

Psychology. 

Zoology. 

American  History  and  Government. 

Civil  Development  of  the  United  States. 

Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

Epochs  in  American  History. 

Political  History  of  Europe  during  the  present  Century. 

The  following  are  outlines  of  typical  courses  : 

Six  lectures  by  Edward   T.    Devine,   A.M.,   Fellow  in   the 

Wharton  School  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  on  Political 

Economy. 

I. — Development  of  Industry  and  Rise  of  Economic  Science. 
Primitive  Man. 
The  Middle  Ages. 
Modern  Industrial  Society. 

II. — The  Framework  of  Economics. 
Production. 
Value. 

Exchange  of  Commodities. 
International  Exchange. 
Consumption. 


234     Th*  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

III.— The  Distribution  of  Wealth. 
Sources  of  Income. 
The  Law  of  Rent. 
The  Law  of  Profits. 
The  Law  of  Interest. 
The  Law  of  Wages. 

IV. — Unsolved  Economic  Problems. 
The  Unearned  Increment. 
The  Interest  Question. 
International  Trade. 
Bimetallism. 

V. — Immediate  Industrial  Problems. 
The  Labor  Question. 
The  Eight-Hour  Day. 
Monopolies. 

VI. — The  Economic  Element  in  Social  Questions. 
The  Temperance  Agitation. 
The  Food  Problem. 
Charity  Organization. 
The  Immigration  Question. 
Standing  Armies. 
Reciprocity. 


Six  lectures  by  Henry  W.  Rolfe,  A.M.,  on  English  Literature 
of  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

I. — Charles  Lamb. 
Childhood. 
Youth  and  Heroism. 
Literary  Activity. 
Last  years. 

1 1. —Wordsworth. 

Introductory. 

Wordsworth's  Outward  Life. 
Wordsworth's  Poetry  and  its  Value. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  235 

III.— Scott. 

Ancestry  and  Childhood. 

Youth  and  Early  Manhood. 

The  Poems. 

From  Ashestiel  to  Abbotsford. 

The  Novels. 

Adversity  and  Death. 

Criticism. 

IV.— Carlyle. 

Early  life. 

The  Period  of  Storm  and  Stress. 

Entire  Devotion  to  Literature. 

The  Closing  Years. 

Carlyle's  Importance  as  a  Man  of  Letters. 

V.— Thackeray. 

Childhood  and  Education. 

Seeking  a  Career. 

Literature  as  Profession. 

Thackeray's  Characteristics  as  a  Writer  and  as  a  Man. 

VI.— Matthew  Arnold. 
His  Life. 

His  Prose  Writings. 
His  Poetry. 
Conclusion. 


Eight  lectures  by  Professor  E.  P.  Cheyney,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania,  on  Modern  Industrial  History — The  Culmina- 
tion and  the  Decline  of  Individualism. 

I. — The  Industrial  System  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
The  Manor. 
The  Guild  : 

(1)  The  Guild  Merchant. 

(2)  The  Craft  Guilds. 

II. — Breaking  up  of  the  Mediaeval  System. 
The  Fall  of  the  Manor  System. 
The  Fall  of  the  Guild  System. 
Industrial  Society  in  the  Eighteenth  Century. 


236     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

1 1 1. —The  Industrial  Revolution  of  the  Eighteenth  Century. 
The  New  Inventions. 
The  New  Factories. 
Effect  on  the  Old  System. 
Changes  in  Land-holding. 

IV.— Theoretical  Views  and  the  New  Industrial  Society. 
Ricardo's  Law  of  Rent. 
Malthus's  Law  of  Population. 
The  Wages-Fund  Theory. 
The  Laissez-faire  doctrine. 

V. — Factory  Laws. 

First  Factory  Act,  1802. 
Second  Factory  Act,  1819. 
Factory  Act  of  1833. 
Opposition  to  these  Acts  : 

(1)  By  the  Manufacturers. 

(2)  By  the  Political  Economists. 

VI.— Trades-Unions. 

New  Position  of  the  Factory  Laborer. 

Opposition  to  Trades-Unions. 

The  Growth  and  Development  of  Trades-Unions. 

VII.— Co-operation  and  Profit- Sharing. 

Tendency  of  New  Industrial  Organization  to  Separate  Functions. 

Co-operation. 

Profit-Sharing. 

VIII.— Socialism. 

Definition  of  Socialism. 
History  of  Socialism. 


Twelve  lectures  by  Professor  C.  M.  Andrews,  of  Bryn  Mawr 
College,  on  Political  History  of  Europe  (1815  to  the  present). 

I. — From  the  Fall  of  Napoleon  to  the  Ushering  in  of  the  Era 
of  Reaction. 

To  the  Imprisonment  at  Elba. 

Beginnings  of  Restoration  and  the  Congress  of  Vienna. 
The  Hundred  Days,  March  I,  1815,  to  June  18,  1815. 
The  Holy  Alliance  and  the  Policy  of  the  Metternich. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  237 

II. — France  and  the  Revolution  of  1830. 

Restoration  and  Bourbon  Unpopularity. 
Government  of  Ultras  and  Priests. 
Revolution  of  1830  and  an  Elective  Monarchy. 
Influence  of  Revolution. 

III.— Italy  and  the  Agitation  for  Unity. 
Italy  to  1815. 

From  Congress  of  Vienna  to  the  Rise  of  Young  Italy. 
Work  of  Mazzini  and  Young  Italy. 
Agitation  until  1848-49. 

IV. — Germany  and  a  Half-Century  of  Political  Confusion. 

Before  the  Congress  of  Vienna. 

Congress  of  Vienna  to  Carlsbad  Decrees. 

Result  of  the  Carlsbad  Decrees. 

Frederick  William  IV.  (1840-61)  to  Revolution  of  1848. 

V. — Louis  Philippe  and  the  Revolution  of  1848. 
The  July  Monarchy  to  1840. 
Ministry  of  Guizot  to  Revolution  of  1848. 
The  Revolution  and  the  Republic. 

VI. — Revolution  of  1848-49  throughout  Europe. 
Wonderful  March  Days  of  '48. 
Turning  of  the  Tide. 
Hungary's  Death-Struggle. 
General  Results. 

VII. — The  Crimean  War  and  European  Political  Theories. 
Condition  of  Europe  after  1848-49. 
Progress  of  the  Eternal  Eastern  Question  to  1850. 
Pretexts  for  War  and  the  Theory  of  the  Balance  of  Power. 
The  War  in  Crimea  and  its  Results. 

VIII.— Cavour  and  Victor  Emmanuel.     A  United  Italy.     Growth  of 
Piedmont. 

Austro-Sardinian  War. 

An  Incomplete  Unity. 

The  Italian  Kingdom.  [  TT  ST I V  B  B»  S 


238     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

IX. — The  Rise  and  Fall  of  Imperialism  in  France. 

Louis  Napoleon  and  the  Republic.     The  Coup  d'Etat. 

Emperor  Napoleon  III. 

Downfall  of  Napoleonism. 

The  Franco- Prussian  War. — The  Commune  and  a  Republic. 

X. — Austria  and  Prussia— The  Struggle  for  the  Hegemony. 

Prussia's  Last  Submission. 
A  New  Regime  and  a  New  Attitude. 
The  Policy  of  Blood  and  Iron. 
Expulsion  of  Austria. 

XI. — Austria  and  Prussia — Reconstruction. 
Results  of  the  Seven  Weeks'  War. 
The  Dual  Monarchy. 
The  German  Empire. 

XII. — Russia  and  the  Eastern  Question. 
From  the  Crimean  War  to  1875. 
Turkish  Excesses  leading  to  War  of  1877-78. 
War  of  1877-78  and  the  Growth  of  Nationalities. 
Recent  Difficulties. — The  Bulgarian  Question. 


Questions  for  weekly  exercises  from  syllabus  on  Modern  Indus- 
trial History.  The  Culmination  and  Decline  of  Individualism  > 
by  Professor  E.  P.  Cheyney. 

LECTURE  I. 

i. — Describe  a  mediaeval  manor  in  England. 
2. — Describe  a  mediaeval  craft  guild  in  England. 
3. — Give  the  arguments  for  and  against  the  theory  that  the  vil- 
lein inhabitants  of  the  manor  had  formerly  been  freemen. 

LECTURE  II. 

I. — How  did  the  influence  of  the  Tudor  period  act  in  breaking 
up  the  earlier  industrial  organization  ? 

2. — Describe  the  "  domestic"  or  cottage  system  of  the  spinning 
and  weaving  industry  of  England  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. 

3. — What  was  the  reason  for  the  great  demand  for  food  and 
manufactured  goods  in  England  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury? 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  239 

LECTURE  III. 

i. — What  is  meant  by  the  "industrial  revolution"  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century  ? 

2. — Name  some  of  the  points  of  difference  between  the  factory 
system  and  the  industrial  organization  that  preceded  it. 

LECTURE  IV. 

I. — What  is  meant  by  the  Laissez-faire  theory  of  the  functions 
of  government,  and  how  is  the  theory  supported  ? 

2. — Compare  the  good  and  bad  characteristics  respectively  of 
the  new  industrial  society. 

LECTURE  V. 

i. — What  were  the  successive  steps  in  English  Factory  Legis- 
lation ? 

2. — What  arguments  have  been  used  in  favor  of,  and  what  op- 
posed to,  factory  laws  ? 

3. — What  do  you  think  is  likely  to  be  the  future  course  of  fac- 
tory legislation  ? 

LECTURE  VI. 

I. — What  were  the  circumstances  that  led  to  the  formation  of 

Trades-Unions  ? 
2. — Describe  the  opposition  of  the  English  laws  to  trades-unions 

and  its  removal. 
3. — What  do  you  think  are  the  good  and  wnat  are  the  bad 

effects  flowing  from  the  existence  of  trades-unions  ? 

LECTURE  VII. 

i. — Describe  and  distinguish  the  three  forms  of  co-operation. 

2. — Find  and  report  a  full  list  of  one  or  other  of  the  forms  of 
co-operation  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia,  with  the 
results  of  each  experiment. 

3- — What  are  the  probabilities  of  the  future  spread  of  profit- 
sharing  ? 

LECTURE  VIII. 

I. — Give  a  definition  of  socialism  that  will  not  exclude  any 
system  claimed  to  be  socialistic,  or  include  any  princi- 
ples not  essential. 

2. — What  is  the  relation  between  socialism,  communism,  and 
anarchism  ? 

3. — Compare  the  special  ideals  of  the  early  part  of  this  century 
with  those  most  generally  prevalent  now. 


240     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

The  following  papers  set  for  final  examinations  will  assist  in 
showing  the  grade  of  the  work : 

By  Professor  Paul  Shorey,  of  Bryn  Mawr  College,  upon  the 
course  of  six  lectures  entitled  Studies  in  English  Poetry. 

1.  Define  and  illustrate  some  distinguishing  characteristics  of  Modern  Eng- 

lish Poetry. 

2.  State  briefly  Wordsworth's  "  Gospel  of  Nature."     Is  the  doctrine  panthe- 

istic ?     Compare  with  Shelley.     What  is  the  "  pathetic  fallacy"  ? 

3.  In  what  two  ways  does  Tennyson  interpret  a  Greek  myth  ? 

4.  Explain  the  allegory  of  the  Vision  of  Sin.     Is  Tennyson  a  Mystic  ?     In 

what  sense  ? 

5.  Comment  on  the  following  lines  : 

'  O  Sylvan  Wye  !  thou  wanderer  thro'  the  woods 

of  all  the  mighty  world 
Of  Eye  and  Ear  both  what  they  half  create 
and  what  perceive." 

"  Smote  the  chord  ol  self  that  trembling  passed 
in  music  out  of  sight." 

"  Slowly  comes  a  hungry  people  as  a  lion 

creeping  nigher 

Glares  at  one  that  nods  and  winks  behind 
a  slowly  dying  fire." 

"  Celtic  Demos  rose  a  Demon,  shrieked  and 
slaked  the  light  with  blood." 

"  Hesper  whom  the  poet  called  the  bringer — 
home  of  all  good  things — " 

"  Have  we  risen  from  out  the  beast  ?  then  back 
into  the  beast  again !" 

"  '  Passion  of  the  Past '  Fancy's  Fool.' 

"  Tho'  some  have^-/#a»«,  or  so  they  say, 
Of  more  than  mortal  things." 

By  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine  upon  a  course  of  six  lectures  on 
Political  Economy. 

1.  What  is  the  most  striking  difference  between  primitive  and  advanced  in- 

dustry ? 

2.  How  do  you  classify  the  factors  of  production  ?     What  is  the  special  ad- 

vantage of  your  classification? 

3.  What  would  be  the  effect  on  rent  of  increasing  the  yield  from  all  poorer 

lands  by  the  introduction  of  improved  methods  of  agriculture? 

4.  Explain  what  is  meant  by  surplus  value. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  241 

5.  Explain  why  the  cheapening  of  food,  clothing,  and  other  commodities  does 

not  always  raise  the  standard  of  life. 

6.  What  has  been  the  chief  gain  to  the  United  States  of  foreign  immigration  ? 

By  Mr.  Henry  W.  Rolfe  upon  a  course  of  six  lectures  on 
English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

1.  Write  a  careful  analysis  and  criticism  of  your  favorite  essay  of  Lamb. 

2.  Does  Wordsworth's  poetry  benefit  you  ?     If  so,  how  ?     If  not,  why  ? 

3.  What  do  you  consider  the  chief  value  of  Scott's  poetry? 

4.  Write  a  briet  bul  careful  criticism  of  one  of  Carlyle's  books,  which  you 

have  read. 

5.  Write  an  analysis  of  one  of  Thackeray's  characters. 

6.  What  do  you  consider  the  chief  excellence  and  the  chief  defects  of 

Arnold's  poetry  ? 

7.  Which  one  of  these  writers  was  the  most  truly  fortunate  in  his  early  life, 

and  why  ? 

8.  Which  one  of  the  six  do  you  most  care  for  ? 

9.  Compare  and  contrast,  briefly,  any  two  of  these  authors  as  regards  both 

their  life  and  their  work. 

10.  Which  one  of  them  was  the  most  perfect  literary  artist  ?     Give  reasons  for 
your  answer. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  centres  thus  far  organized,  to- 
gether with  the  courses  that  have  been  given,  and  the  names  of 
the  students  passing  the  examinations  : 

IN  PHILADELPHIA. 

ASSOCIATION  LOCAL  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Descriptive    Astronomy,    by  Professor  Chas.  A.  Young,  of 
Princeton. 

Margaret  P.  Saunders. 

COURSE  II. — Shakespeare's  Tempest  with  Companion  Studies,  by  Mr. 
Richard  G.  Moulton,  of  Cambridge  University,  Eng- 
land. 

Clara  W.  Anable,  Augustus  J.  Loos, 

Sara  C.  Dewey,  Lucy  P.  Maclntire, 

George  Edward  Eby,  S.  Newlin, 

Ella  Faser,  A.  H.  Saunders, 

Josephine  Hamill,  Margaret  P.  Saunders, 
Mrs.  F.  H.  Taylor. 
16 


242     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  III, — Mathematics,  with  its  Applications  to  Mechanics,  by  Pro- 
fessor E.  S.  Crawley,  of  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

E.  C.  Baugher,  Margaret  P.  Saunders, 
S.  S.  Dewey,  Charles  H.  Thumbert, 
Bessie  H.  DuBois,  R.  H.  Trimble, 
Mary  D.  Griffith,  Esther  N.  Venables. 
Jumatsu  Matsuo,  E.  N.  Wigfall, 

Helen  A.  Wilder. 

COURSE  IV.— Animal  Life  Considered  as  a  Part  of  Universal  Energy,  by 
Professor  Spencer  Trotter,  of  Swarthmore. 

Jessie  S.  Bagg,  Aldrich  J.  Pennock, 

B.  P.  Flint,  Margaret  P.  Saunders, 

M.  D.  Woodnutt. 

COURSE  V.— Milton's  Poetic  Art,  by  Mr.  Richard  G.  Moulton,  of  Cam- 
bridge University,  England. 

Laura  J.  Ashmore,  Francis  W.  Kennedy,  Jr., 

Sarah  C.  Dewey,  A.  J.  Loos, 

S.  S.  Dewey,  Mrs.  L.  L.  Reger, 

F.  B.  Green,  Margaret  P.  Saunders, 

H.  M.  Smyth. 

COURSE  VI.— Mathematics,  by  Professor  E.  S.  Crawley,  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania. 

H.  Gretmar,  William  H.  Schallioll, 

Jumatsu  Matsuo,  Charles  H.  Thumlert, 

Robert  McLaughlin,  G.  P.  Tustin, 

F.  Piers,  E.  M.  Venables, 

Peter  Wright. 

COURSE  VII. — Economics,  by  Professor  F.  H.  Giddings,  of  Bryn  Mawr. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  VIII. — English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Lucy  C.  Conard,  M.  M.  McCollin, 

Lucy  P.  Maclntire,  E.  L.  G.  Thomas, 

F.  H.  Maclntire,  Mary  P.  Tunnelle, 

K.  Fuller  Walker. 

COURSE  IX.— Socialism,  by  Mr.  M.  E.  Sadler,  of  Oxford,  England. 
No  examination. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  243 

COURSE  X.— The  Change  in  Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  M.  E.  Sadler,  of 
Oxford,  England. 

No  examination. 

FRANKFORD  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

E.  Augustine  Salter. 

COURSE  II.— American  History  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 
COURSE      I.— Political  History  of  Europe,  by  Professor  C.  M.  Andrews, 

of  Bryn  Mawr. 

Mary  Ekwurzel,  Susanna  S.  Kite, 

Elizabeth  Hale,  Mary  Rollins  Murphy, 

Hannah  M.  Jones,  Benjamin  C.  Tillinghast, 

Eleanor  E.  Wright. 

GERMANTOWN  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Shakespeare's  Tempest,  with  Companion  Studies,  by  Mr. 
Richard  G.  Moulton,  of  Cambridge  University,  Eng- 
land. 

Alice  M.  Barrett,  Anna  Powers, 

Adele  Marie  Beck,  Louisa  Randolph, 

Jennie  T  Borton,  Louise  Harriett  Reger, 

Elizabeth  W  Collins,  Julia  Morris  Ross, 

Margaret  Cope,  Laura  E.  Sampson, 

Celia  Creeth  Louise  Schwartz, 

Anna  Shinn  Doriss,  Annie  P.  Simmons, 

Bessie  Ecker  Freichler,  Anna  W.  Smith, 

Marion  W.  Grewcock,  Lydia  Starr. 

Harriett  Harvey  Esther  Newlin  Stokes, 

Fannie  C.  Hopkins,  Katherine  W.  Stokes, 

Gertrude  Houston,  Mary  T.  Thurler, 

Edith  F.  Kenderdine,  Grace  Turner, 

Florence  P.  Middleton,  Isabel  S.  Vanderslice, 

Edith  R.  Mullen,  Eleanor  R.  Wagner, 

Elizabeth  R.  Perry,  Sarah  Wood  Wagner, 

Marjorie  Plumer,  Annie  T.  Walker, 

Margaret  B.  Williams. 

COURSE  II. — Electricity,  by  Professor  Henry  Crew,  of  Haverford  College- 
Lloyd  Balderston,  Jr.,  Charles  Ingalls  Martin, 

Louis  R.  Shellenburger. 


244     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  III.— Modern  Industrial  History,  by  Professor  E.  P.  Cheyney, 

of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Lloyd  Balderston,  Jr.,  Charles  F.  Jenkins. 

Edward  I.  H.  Howell,  G.  R.  Nichols. 

COURSE  IV. — Robert  Browning,  by  Mr.  Henry  S.  Pancoast. 
Jennie  T.  Borton,  L.  L.  Reger. 

COURSE  V.— Socialism,  by  Mr.  Michael  E.  Sadler,  of  Oxford,  England. 
No  examination. 

NEW  CENTURY  CLUB  GUILD  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.   Thompson,  of  the 

University  of  Pennsylvania. 
E.  G.  Banes,  Mary  J.  Thompson, 

Adele  Sutor,  Frances  L.  Wise, 

Florence  Yaple. 

ROXBOROUGH  CENTRE. 
COURSE    I. — Chemistry,   by   Professor   C.    Hanford   Henderson,   of   the 

Manual  Training  School 

Augustus  R.  Andrews  William  B.  Hughes, 

Tillie  J.  Barnes  Jumatsu  Matsuo 

Alexander  J.  Christie,  Frank  E.  Richardson, 

Bessie  Christie  T  Elizabeth  Slagle, 

John  Collins  Albert  Walton, 

Alfred  Walton. 

COURSE  II.— Four  Studies  in  Shakespeare,  by  Mr.   R.  G.   Moulton,  of 
Cambridge  University,  England. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  III.— The  People  of  the  United  States,  by  Professor  John  Bach 
McMaster,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Results  not  in. 

SOUTH  BROAD  STREET  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

SPRING  GARDEN  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I.— Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of 

Cambridge  University,  England. 
Miss  E.  Fraser,  Bessie  W.  McElroy, 

Ida  C.  Levin,  Jennie  C.  McElroy, 

L.  L.  Reger. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  245 

COURSE  II.— Algebra,  by  Professor  George  E.  Fisher,  of  the  University 

of  Pennsylvania. 

Addison  B.  Burk,  D.  O'Brien, 

Addison  B.  Burk,  Jr.,  S.  J.  Owen, 

M.  Ethel  Burk,  E.  Rirnmer, 

Zeta  B.  Cundy,  Charles  Rowe, 

E.  J.  Donnelly,  L.  K.  Siggous, 

Emma  A.  Holland,  M.  H.  Siggous, 

P.  J.  Lauber,  Helena  A  Smith, 

Jacob  Munz,  Katie  Smith, 

G.  E.  Nelson,  Horace  K.  Subers, 

J.  E.  Nethery,  Charles  H.  Thumbert. 

COURSE  III.— Modern  Essayists,  by  Professor  F.  E.  Schelling,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 
COURSE  IV.— Practical  Analytical  Botany,  by  Professor  J.  T.  Rothrock, 

of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Harriet  W.  Adams,  John  A.  LaFore, 

J.  S.  Bagg,  Eliza  L.  McClure, 

M.  R.  Beale,  James  T  McClure, 

M.  Ethel  Burk,  E.  McDuffee, 

R.  A.  Child,  J.  B.  Murphy, 

D.  S.  Chrystal  J.  C.  H.  Newcomer, 

E.  Francis  Condit,  Franklin  E.  Page, 
Louise  Eissler,                        Annie  E.  Paret, 
Mary  Eissler                            L.  L.  Reger, 
Marrianne  Ferguson,              Maude  Remington, 
Charles  F.  Guhlmann,  Mary  B.  Reinhardt, 
Susan  T.  Hoopes,                    C.  F.  Saunders, 

A.  E.  Hostelly,  M.  P.  Saunders, 

Elizabeth  James,  John  Smethurst, 

Sybil  James,  Mary  E.  Smethurst, 

J.  A.  Jenkins,  S.  Smith, 

Bessie  D.  Jones,  Hannah  Streeter, 

Julia  F.  Jones,  S.  Lillie  Twyeross, 

Emma  L.  Karse,  William  C.  Warren, 
S.  E.  Williams. 

UNITED  CLUB  AND  INSTITUTE  CENTRE. 
COURSE  L— American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 


246     The  National,  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  II.— American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

WAGNER  INSTITUTE  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Euripides  for  English  Audiences,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of 
Cambridge  University,  England. 

Lida  Stokes  Adams,  Virginia  E.  Graeff, 

C.  Belle  T.  Clay,  Helen  L.  Murphy, 

Ella  Faser,  Susanna  M.  Price, 

Beulah  A.  Fennimore,  Clara  G.  Rowley, 

Mary  G.  Umsted. 

COURSE  II.— Four  Studies  in  Shakespeare,  by  Mr.   R.  G.  Moulton,  of 
Cambridge  University,  England. 

Fanny  Binswanger,  Helen  L.  Murphy, 

C.  Belle  T.  Clay  Frank  H.  Maclntire, 

Beulah  A.  Fenimore,  Lucy  P.  Maclntire, 

George  H.  Karder,  Clara  G.  Rowley, 

Robert  C.  Macauley,  A.  H.  Saunders. 

COURSE  III.— Psychology,  by  Professor  George  S.  Fullerton,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 

William  H.  Arnold,  Catherine  R.  Hansel!, 

Jessie  T.  Bagg,  Harriet  Liebman, 

Kate  C.  Butler,  Anna  L.  Longacre, 

Sarah  Palmer  Byrnes,  Mary  MacDuffee, 

Ella  Faser,  Paul  de  Moll, 

Anna  W.  Williams. 

COURSE  IV.— English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Martina  de  Pierra. 
COURSE  V. — Poets  of  America,  by  Professor  Willis  Boughton. 

Lucy  C.  Conard,  M.  V.  Haigh, 

E.  L.  G.  Thomas. 

COURSE  VI.— Civil  Development  of  the  United  States,  by  Professor  F.  N. 
Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Lucy  C.  Conard,  Zeta  B.  Cundy, 

E.  L.  G.  Thomas. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  247 

Geology  and  Paleontology,  by  Professor  E.  D.  Cope,  of  the 

University  of  Pennsylvania. 

John  G.  Johnson,  William  C.  Menough, 

E.  M.  Kenedy,  Charles  R.  Toothaker. 

Chemistry,  by  Professor  Henry  Leffmann. 
No  examination. 

Zoology,  by  Professor  John  A.  Ryder,  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

Botany,  by  Professor  J.  T.  Rothrock,  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

WEST  PHILADELPHIA  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  II.— Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of 

Cambridge  University,  England. 
Ella  C.  Alloway,  Edith  L.  Stern, 

George  E.  Eby,  Mary  C.  N.  Thomas, 

Jennie  B.  Loos,  Mary  A.  Williamson. 

COURSE  III.— Psychology,  by  Professor  George  S.  Fullerton,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 

Mary  A.  Albertson,  Annie  L.  English, 

Ella  C.  Alloway,  Sue  E.  Stoever. 

COURSE  IV.— Change  in  Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  M.  E.  Sadler,  of  Ox- 
ford, England. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  V. — Central  Europe  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Professor  E. 
P.  Cheyney,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Results  not  in. 

WISSAHICKON  HEIGHTS  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking,  by  Mr.  R.  G.   Moulton,  of 

Cambridge  University,  England. 
Margaret  Cope,  Minnie  E.  Faught, 

Jennie  T.  Borton,  Gertrude  Houston. 


248     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  II. — Political  History  of  Europe,  by  Professor  C.  M.  Andrews, 
of  Bryn  Mawr: 

•   Lloyd  Balderston,  Jr.,  Hannah  M.  Jones, 

Susanna  S.  Kite.    • 

COURSE  III. — Studies  in  English  Poetry,  by  Professor  Paul  Shorey,  of 
Bryn  Mawr. 

Jennie  T.  Borton. 

COURSE  IV.— Chemistry,  by  Dr.  Henry  Leffmann. 
No  examination. 

WOMEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Botany,  by  Professor  J.  T.   Rothrock,  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania. 

David  T.  Crystal. 

COURSE  II. — American   History  and  Government,  by   Professor   F.   N. 
Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Blanche  Baldwin,  Jessie  S.  Bagg, 

Antha  Knowlton. 

COURSE  III.— Brook  Farm  Community,  by  Mr.  Willis  Boughton. 
Results  not  in. 


OUTSIDE  OF  PHILADELPHIA. 

BRIDGEPORT  (CONN.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Economics,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff- Lecturer  of  The 
American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 

BRIDGETON  (N.J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Economics,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff-Lecturer    of 
The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  249 

BRISTOL  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Epochs  of  American    History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe, 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Louisa  A.  Iredell. 

COURSE  II. — Administration  of  Government,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe, 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Results  not  in. 

BRYN  MAWR  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Typical  English  Poets,  by  Mr.  Henry  S.  Pancoast. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  II.— Earlier  Plays  of  Shakespeare,  by  Professor  J.  O.  Murray,  of 
Princeton. 

Results  not  in. 

BURLINGTON  (N.J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Modern  Novelists,  by  Professor  F.  E.  Schelling,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
Margaret  M.  Gummere,  Margaret  Marrs, 

Elizabeth  D.  Howell,  Anna  G.  Redmond. 

COURSE  II. — Epochs  of  the  American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe, 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Results  not  in. 

CAMDEN  (N.J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Story  of  Faust    by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of   Cambridge  Uni- 
versity England. 

Marietta  K.  Champion,  Henrietta  J.  Meteer, 

George  Edwarc  Eby,  Elizabeth  C.  Reeve, 

Anna  Farrell,  Esther  Schooley, 

Norman  Grey,  Anna  Taylor, 

Mary  Walsh. 

COURSE  II. — American    History  and    Government,   by  Professor  F.  N. 

Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
G.  Buckwalter,  Jessie  Fulweiler, 

Mary  A.  Burrough,  Loretta  Irland, 

Lidie  Corbon,  Margaret  T.  Magie, 

Anna  Farrell,  Emma  Thegan, 

Clara  R.  Titus. 


250     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  III.— Change  in  Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  M.  E.  Sadler,  of  Ox- 
ford, England. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  IV.— English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 
CARBONDALE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Poets  of  the   Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.   Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

No  examination. 

CHAMBERSBURG  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Professor 
Henry  W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 
CHESTER  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — American  Literature,  by  Professor  A.  H.  Smyth,  of  the  Cen- 
tral High  School. 

T.  M.  Gilbert,  Louise  Stern, 

S.  DuBois  Moury,  William  H.  Stewart, 

Charles  Palmer,  Aida  Pearl  Urie, 

Walter  L.  Philips,  Royal  W.  Urie. 

CHESTER  SPRINGS  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Economics    by  Mr.  E.  T.  Devine,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The 
Americar  Society. 

No  examination. 
COATESVILLE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Mr.  H.  W. 
Rolfe  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 

COLUMBIA  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff -Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 


:"  /  '  -,'••".,   "":.    ,r 
The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  25  1 

CONSHOHOCKEN  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE    I.—  American   History   and  Government,  by  Professor  F.   N. 
Thorpe  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  i 

No  examination. 

DOYLESTOWN  (PA.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I.  —  Representative  American  Authors,  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Penniman. 

Anna  S.  Atkinson,  Cynthia  Doane, 

Mary  W.  Atkinson,  Julia  Van  Horn, 

Hannah  A.  H.  Beans,  Miriam  Watson, 

Elizabeth  C.  Cox,  George  Wheeler. 

DOWNINGTOWN  (PA.)  CENTRE, 

COURSE  I.—  American  Literature  by  Professor  A.  H.  Smyth,  of  the  Cen- 
tral High  School. 

George  Bailey,  Jr.,  Martha  G.  Thomas, 

Isabella  F.  Worrell. 

COURSE  II.—  English  Literature,  by  Professor  A.  H.  Smyth,  of  the  Cen- 
tral High  School. 

Mary  Ingram,  Anna  Worrall  Kerr, 

Martha  G.  Thomas. 

GETTYSBURG    (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.  —  English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke  Rob- 
inson, Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 
GREEN  RIDGE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.  —  English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke  Rob- 
inson, Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

No  examination. 
HADDONFIELD  (N.  J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.—  Central  Europe  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Professor  E. 
P.  Cheyney,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Sallie  T.  Black,  Minnie  A.  Moore, 

Murray  C.  Boyer,  G.  Fithian  Tatem, 

Mary  A.  Crawley,  Mary  P.  Tunnelle, 

William  Wilcox. 


252     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  II.— Typical  English  Poets,  by  Mr.  Henry  S.  Pancoast. 

Mary  A.  Crawley,  Carrie  Stiles, 

Mary  P.  Tunnelle. 

COURSE  III.— Civil  Development  of  the  United  States,  by  Professor  F. 
N.  Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 

HARRISBURG  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Poets  of  the   Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.   W.  Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff- Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 

HOLMESBURG  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  II.— American    Literature,  by  Professor   A.  H.  Smyth,  of  the 
Central  High  School. 

No  examination. 

HONESDALE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English   Poets  of  the   Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

No  examination. 

JENKINTOWN   (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Literature,  by  Professor   R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 

KINGSTON  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff- Lecturer 
of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  253 

LANCASTER  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Economics,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff-Lecturer  of  the 
American  Society. 

Emma  S.  Brimmer,  Ida  R.  McMillan, 

Mary  Byrne,  Emma  Powers, 

William  S.  Gleim,  Adaline  B.  Spindler, 

Elizabeth  H.  Hager,  Belle  M.  Weitzel, 

Mary  E.  Zahn. 

COURSE  II.— English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 

LANGHORNE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Representative  American  Authors,  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Pennhnan. 

Results  not  in. 

LANSDOWNE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — Electricity,  by  Professor  Henry  Crew,  of  Haverford  College. 

Morgan  Bunting,  Thomas  P.  Conard. 

Carrie  B.  Conard,  E.  W.  Davis, 

COURSE  II.— English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

LEBANON  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English    Poets   of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.   Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

Results  not  in. 

MEDIA  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Modern  Essayists,  by  Professor  F.  E.  Schelling,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania 

No  examination. 

COURSE  II. — Epochs  of  American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe, 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 


254     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

MOORESTOWN  (N.  J.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — Epochs  of  American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe, 

of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
John  C.  Beans,  Frank  S.  Herr, 

Mary  S.  Beans,  Ellwood  Hollingshead, 

Irene  H.  Benyaurd,  Martha  H.  Hollingshead 

Leone  E.  Benyaurd,  Elizabeth  A.  Moore, 

Nathan  N.  Conrow,  Jennie  H.  Morris, 

Sarah  H.  W.  Conrow,  Lydia  H.  Morris, 

Annie  Dougherty,  Helen  F.  Wilson, 

Emily  E.  Herr,  Mary  R.  Wilson. 

COURSE  II.— Poets  of  America,  by  Mr.  Willis  Boughton. 

Results  not  in. 

MOUNT  HOLLY  (N.  J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  II. — English  Novelists,  by  Professor  F.  E.  Schelling,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  III. — Central  Europe  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Professor 

E.  P.  Cheyney,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Ida  R.  Buzby,  J.  Barclay  Hilyard, 

Charles  Evan  Merritt. 

NEWARK  (DEL.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of 

Cambridge  University,  England. 

Emma  V.  Blandy,  Margaret  W.  Blandy, 

G.  Le  Roy  Brown. 

COURSE  II.— English  Novelists,  by  Professor  F.  E.  Schelling,  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 

NEWTOWN  (PA.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — Epochs  in  American  History,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of 

the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Fredda  H.  Bryan,  Hannah  E.  Holcomb, 

Ellie  J.  Burroughs,  Laura  L.  Rose, 

A.  S.  Williamson. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  255 

NORRISTOWN  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.    E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  II.— Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulion,  of 

Cambridge  University,  England. 
Jacob  Lynchenheim,  Frederick  I.  Naile. 

COURSE  III.— Political  Economy,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 

University  of  Pennsylvania. 
A.  D.  Eisenhower,  Lidie  R.  Jones, 

Esther  B.  Eisenhower,  Emma  J.  Kuder, 

Clandia  B.  Gurie,  Frederick  I.  Naile, 

Mattie  J.  Zimmerman. 

COURSE  IV.— Civil  Development  of  the  United  States,  by  Professor  F:  N. 
Thorpe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Harriet  E.  Hallman. 

NORTH  WALES  (PA.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I. — Europe  finds  America,  by  Professor  F.  N.  Thorpe,  of  the 

University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Lizzie  A.  Brooke,  Carrie  A.  Lukens, 

Mary  Davlin,  Esther  Newlin. 

PHCENIXVILLE  (PA.)  CENTRE 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Mr.  H. 
W.  Kolfe,  cf  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
Results  not  in. 

PLYMOUTH  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff-Lecturer 
of  The  American  Society. 
Results  not  in. 

READING  (PA.)  CENTRE. 
COURSE  I.— Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff-Lecturer 

of  The  American  Society. 
William  T.  Arnold,  May  Miller, 

George  Auchy,  Bessie  H.  McLenegan, 

Henry  T.  Conard,  William  H.  Price, 

Minta  Fulton,  Charles  S.  Prizer, 

Mary  S.  Thomas. 


256     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

COURSE  II. — English  Literature  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Mr.  H. 
W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 
SCRANTON  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke 
Robinson,  Staff-Lecturer  of  The  American  Society. 

No  examination. 
TRENTON  (N.  J.)    CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Literature,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Ella  D.  Hankinson,  Annie  L.  Hughes, 

Elizabeth  Hughes. 

COURSE  II. — The  Earlier  Plays  of  Shakespeare,  by  Professor}.  O.  Murray, 
of  Princeton. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  III.— Geology,  by  Professor  W.  B.  Scott,  of  Princeton. 
William  R.Wright. 

COURSE  IV.— Political  Economy,  by  Professor  R.  E.  Thompson,  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania. 

Results  not  in. 
VINELAND  (N.J.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Electricity,  by  Professor  A.  W.  Goodspeed,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania. 

No  examination. 
WAYNE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Professor 
H.  W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

J.  Charles  Aiken,  Caroline  T.  Martin, 

Elizabeth  C.  Crumley,  Mary  L.  Roberts, 

Mary  T.  Dunn,  Etta  M.  Stauffer, 

Leila  Wetherill. 

COURSE  II.— A  Bird's-Eye  View  of  European  History,  by  Ida  M.  Gardner. 

Results  not  in. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  257 

WEST  CHESTER  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — History  of  Europe,  1815-49,  by  Professor  Charles  M.  An- 
drews, of  Bryn  Mawr. 

Sue  Henderson,  William  T.  Sharpless, 

Catherine  S.  Monaghan,         Mary  Butler  Windle. 

COURSE  II. — American  Literature,  by  Professor  A.  H.  Smyth,  of  the  Cen- 
tral High  School  of  Philadelphia. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  III.— The  People  of  the  United  States,  by  Professor  John  Bach 
McMaster,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

WILKES-BARRE  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— Political  Economy,  by  Mr.  Edward  T.  Devine,  Staff- Lecturer 
of  The  American  Society. 
Results  not  in. 

WILMINGTON  (DEL.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I. — English  Literature,  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Moulton,  of   Cambridge 
University,  England. 

No  examination. 

COURSE  II.— Electricity,  by  Professor  A.  W.  Goodspeed,  of   the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania. 
No  examination. 

COURSE  III. — France  During  the  Struggle  for  Freedom  of  Conscience,  by 

Rev.  William  H.  Johnson. 
Gertrude  C.  Pyle,  Isabel  B.  Wales, 

Mary  R.  D.  Withers. 

WINCHESTER  (VA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English    Literature  in  the  Nineteenth  Century,  by  Mr.  H. 
W.  Rolfe,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania- 
Results  not  in 

YORK  (PA.)  CENTRE. 

COURSE  I.— English  Poets  of  the  Revolution   Age,  by  Dr.  W.  Clarke 
Robinson. 

Results  not  in. 
17 


258 


National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 


•suwfoj 


O          «  ~ 


S,    8 


wi 


88 


8  888 


885,?>$> 


88    8       85> 


ni  S9JTH991  jo  i^ 


jo  jequrafl 


^  P 


.  .  P 


* 


sS    S   aK   -S   1    IS   1   •§   -S   S         s«d2 

fill  lali  1  i  fill  i  1  1    =1111 


3  ..§ 

I  si 

£    4 


Q     P 


Q    Q 


»  §« 
Ifil 


o    fc    i-^ 


•HflOH 


80          oo 
q          qo 

00*        OO  00         00 


oooo 
°° 


•*•       00*         OO' 


o      o      o      o 
55oo 

OO'         OO"        OO         OO' 


bo     bo  bb     bi  ti  .o        .d 

.2    .2  .2    .2  .2  <y  «  5       .2 

^       '3  '"S       -"^  ^  S  Si  w 

5  5s  5  'Z3  -w  -_, 


*j    *j    .t: 


.     > 


^    W 


« 
<i  <i 
o  o 

S    g 


--  ? 


^  T  |  I  g 

•4-»          CO  Cg  03  Cd 

g    o  o  o  o  S 

1     bo  bo  be  bo  <u   : 

p     a  a  a  a  £< 

a  &  a  I  5cJ 


8    8 
^^•^ 

o.2  o.2 
•J^'^^ 


flirtrtrt 

**  —        *~'*^J*^3 


ilil     1 


1  f 


b    fa    o        OBBol 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society. 


259 


M         0         0   0 


0  0  M 


8 


8    §•    g 


8O         *}  O 
o      r>  9 


88 


88 


0  0         0         0        «0 


0         0         0 


VO  t-.  VO  t^  <0  if 


I 


t 

o      ° 

a   g. 

*-  J 

.Srt.HW 

ill 


f 


q    « 

a  S 


Q    Q 


s  s^s  o  g  n  g       g 


oo*      oo"      oo'      oo'      oo'      oo'      oo'      od      oo'       •«*•      to     oo'      oo' 


8888 

oo'      oo'      oo'      oo' 


8.8 

0000 


!f?    8 

to     oo' 


8.8 

oo'oo' 


.fc 


.  1 


^i,        rL,        ,J«        ^ii          *          <"          i^,  t|l          ^, 


. 

1  14 

-s-sss     S  ^  l^-s^§  5.s.s 

I  2  g  1111!  pi 


260     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 


NAMES   AND   ADDRESSES   OF   LOCAL   SECRETARIES. 

Association  Local. — MR.   HORACE  G.  THOMAS,    Fifteenth   and 

Chestnut  Streets. 
Bridgeport,  Conn. — Miss  M.  F.  SOMERSET,  206  Lafayette  Street, 

Bridgeport. 

Bridgeton,  N.  J. — MR.  PHCEBUS  W.  LYON,  Bridgeton. 
Bristol,  Pa. — MR.  WILLIAM  V.  LEECH,  Bristol. 
Bryn  Mawr. — MRS.  EDNA  WITHERSPOON,   Haverford  College, 

Pa. 

Burlington,  N.  J. — MRS.  J.  B.  HOWELL,  Burlington. 
Camden,  N.  J. — Miss  ELIZABETH  C.  REEVE,  301  State  Street, 

Camden. 

Carbondale,  Pa. — MR.  H.  F.  SWARTZ,  Carbondale. 
Chambersburg,  Pa. — REV.  HERBERT  ALLEMAN,  Chambersburg. 
Chester,  Pa. — PROF.  THOMAS  S.  COLE,  Chester. 
Chester  Springs,  Pa. — Miss  ANNIE  J.  DAVIS,  Chester  Springs. 
Coatesville,  Pa. — MR.  LEWIS  B.  HENSON,  Coatesville. 
Columbia,  Pa. — Miss  MARY  WELSH,  532  Chestnut  Street,  Co- 
lumbia. 

Conshohocken,  Pa. — WM.  A.  COOPER,  Conshohocken. 
Doylestown,  Pa. — MR.  HUGH  B.  EASTBURN,  Doylestown. 
Downingtown,  Pa. — DR.  EDWARD  KERR,  East  Lancaster  Avenue, 

Downingtown. 
Frankford,   Pa. — MR.  GEORGE  W.  WRIGHT,  237  South  Fourth 

Street,  Philadelphia. 
Germantown,  Pa, — MRS.  LOUISA  RANDOLPH,  132  Price  Street, 

Germantown. 

Gettysburg,  Pa. — MR.  C.  F.  SANDERS,  Gettysburg. 
Green  Ridge,  Pa. — MR.  H.  B.  REYNOLDS,  Green  Ridge. 
Haddonfield,  N.  J. — Miss  MARY  TUNNELLE,  Haddonfield. 
Harrisburg,  Pa. — Miss  VIRGINIA  HOAGLAND,  Harrisburg. 
Holmesburg,  Pa. — MR.  W.  W.  BROWN,  Holmesburg. 
Honesdale,  Pa.— HON.  R.  BRUCE  WILSON,  Honesdale. 
Jenkintown,  Pa. — Miss  BELLE  VANSANT,  Jenkintown. 
Kingston,  Pa. — MR.  S.  R.  SMITH,  Kingston. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  +261 

Lancaster,  Pa. — REV.  CHAS.  S.  FRY,  Lancaster. 

Langhorne,  Pa. — Miss  LILLIE  ALLEN,  Langhorne. 

Lansdowne,  Pa. — MR.  EDWARD  V.  KANE,  Lansdowne. 

Lebanon,  Pa. — REV.  THEODORE  E.  SCHMAUK,  Lebanon. 

Media,  Pa. — MR.  J.  T.  REYNOLDS,  Media. 

Moore  stown,  N.  J. — DR.  JOSEPH  STOKES,  Moorestown. 

Mount  Holly,  N.  J. — MR.   B.    F.    HEYWOOD  SHREVE,  Mount 

Holly. 
New  Century  Club  Guild,  Philadelphia.— MRS.  E.  S.  TURNER, 

2102  Mt.  Vernon  Street. 

Newark,  Del. — MR.  HARLOW  H.  CURTIS,  Newark. 
Newtown,  Pa. — Miss  LAURA  W.  WHITE,  Newtown. 
Norristown,   Pa. — MR.  WALTER  M.  SHAW,   Penn   and  Swede 

Streets,  Norristown. 

North  Wales,  Pa.— MRS.  W.  R.  CHILDS,  North  Wales. 
Phcenixville,  Pa. — MR.  D.  F.  MOORE,  Phoenixville. 
Plymouth,  Pa. — MR.  J.  I.  CREVELING,  Plymouth. 
Reading,  Pa. — MR.  CHARLES  S.  PRIZER,  Reading. 
Roxborough,  Pa. — MR.  A.  C.  GOELL,  Ridge  Avenue  and  Vassar 

Streets,  Philadelphia. 

Scranton,  Pa. — MR.  H.  B.  Cox,  Scranton. 
South  Broad  Street,  Philadelphia.— MR.  S.  K.   CAMPBELL,  1156 

South  Broad  Street,  Philadelphia. 
Spring  Garden  Institute,  Philadelphia. — MR.  JAMES  HAWORTH, 

641  Arch  Street,  Philadelphia. 
Trenton,  N.   J. — MR.    J.    H.   WOOD,    223    N.  Warren  Street, 

Trenton. 
United  Club  and  Institute,  Philadelphia. — MR.  J.  L.  STEWART, 

1726  South  Fifteenth  Street,  Philadelphia. 
Vineland,  N.  J. — MR.  C.  K.  LANDIS,  Vineland. 
Wagner  Institute,  Philadelphia. — MR.  THOMAS  L.  MONTGOMERY, 

Seventeenth  and  Montgomery  Avenue. 
Wayne,  Pa. — MRS.  R.  ESTRADA,  Wayne. 
West  Chester,  Pa. — MR.  JAMES  MONAGHAN,  West  Chester. 
West  Philadelphia. — Miss  HENRIETTA  LEONARD,  4300  Walnut 

Street,  Philadelphia. 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pa. — MR.  SYDNEY  R.  MINER,  Wilkes-Barre. 


262     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Wilmington,  Del. — MR.  ENDS  L.  DOAN,  511  Washington  Street, 

Wilmington. 

Winchester,  Va. — MR.  W.  ROY  STEPHENSON,  Winchester. 
Wissahickon  Heights,  Pa. — DR.  L.  ASHLEY  FAUGHT,  1331  Arch 

Street,  Philadelphia. 
Women's  Christian  Association,  Philadelphia. — MRS.  WILLIAM  S. 

STEWART,  1801  Arch  Street. 
Wyoming,  Pa. — DR.  CHARLES  P.  KNAPP. 
York,  Pa. — MR.  A.  WANNER,  York. 


COMPARATIVE   STATISTICS. 


TOTAL  NUMBER  OF  COURSES. 

Total  Number  of 
Lectures  Given. 

Average  Number 
of  Lectures  in 
Each  Course. 

Average 
Attendance  at  the 
Lectures. 

M 

1 

Hi 

5J<3 

-S 

Total  Attendances 
at  the  Lectures. 

Number  of  Certifi- 
cates Awarded. 

Cambridge    ....  Of  6  Lectures,     4 
Of  7  or   8  "          o 
1889-90.                    Of  ii  or  12"       115 
119 

London                     Of  6  Lectures      3 

1404 

11.7 

11,301 

95 

132,221 

1585 

Of  7  or   8  "          o 
1889-90.                    Of  10  or  12"        99 

IO2 

Oxford       .  .            Of  6  Lectures  113 

1028 

10 

12,067 

118 

120,670 

1384 

Of  7  or   8  "        24 
1889-90.                    Ofioori2"        ii 
148 

Victoria  ....    ,  .  Of  8  Lectures      8 

979 

6.6 

17,904 

121 

118,166 

927 

1889-90.                                                '  8 

American  Society  .  Of  3  Lectures,      6 
Of  4                        4 
Of  6                      67 
Of  7                        3 
Of  8                         4 

Of  10                                      2 

Of  12                         4 
1891.  Jan.  i-Dec.  Of  20                       2 
31.                                         92 

64 

597 

8 

6.5 

1,040 

15,795 

130 
1  72 

8,320 
I34,257 

3i 
366 

The  Report  of  the  American  Society. 


263 


SUBSCRIBERS   TO   THE   GUARANTEE    FUND    OF 
THE   AMERICAN   SOCIETY. 


BAER,  MR.  GEORGE  F., 
BAIRD,  MR.  JOHN, 
BAIRD,  MRS.  MATTHEW, 
BARRETT,  Miss  G.  A., 
BELL  &  SONS,  SAMUEL, 
BLAIR,  MRS.  ANDREW  A., 
BLANCHARD,  Miss  MARIA, 
BODINE,  MR.  SAMUEL, 
BOHLEN,  MRS.  JOHN, 
BORIE,  MR.  BEAUVEAU, 
BROWN,  MR.  ALEXANDER, 
BRUSH,  MRS.  C.  H., 
BRYAN,  Miss  MARY  T., 
BURNHAM,  MR.  GEORGE,  SR., 
BURNHAM,  MR.  WILLIAM, 
BUSHNELL,  MR.  CHARLES  E., 
CLOTHIER,  MR.  ISAAC  H., 
CONVERSE,  MR.  JOHN  H., 
COPE,  MRS.  ALEXIS  G., 
COPE,  MRS.  FRANCES  R., 
COWIE,  Miss  ISABEL, 
DELANO,  MR.  EUGENE, 
DOUGHERTY,  MRS.  T.  H., 
EDELHEIM,  MR.  CARL, 
EVANS,  Miss  H.  B., 
EVANS,  MRS.  J.  W., 
FOULKE,  MRS.  W.  G., 
GARRETT,  Miss  E.  N., 
HACKER,  Miss  ELIZABETH  MM 
HALL,  MR.  AUGUSTUS  R., 
HARRIS,  MR.  W.  T., 
HARRISON,  MR.  ALFRED  C., 
HARRISON,  MR.  CHARLES  C., 
HEAD,  MRS.  E.  L., 
HENSZEY,  MR.  WILLIAM  P., 
HOUSTON,  MR.  H.  H., 
HUTTON,  MR.  ADDISON, 
JOHNSON,  MRS.  JOSEPH 
JOHNSON,  Miss, 


JF.NKS,  MRS.  W.  F., 
KOHN,  ADLER  &  Co.,  MESSRS. 
LEVY,  MRS.  MAX, 
LIPPINCOTT,  MRS.  J.  B., 

LlPPINCOTT,  MR.  J.  DUNDAS, 

MASON,  MR.  A.  HEYWOOD, 
MILES,  MR.  FREDERICK  B., 
MILNE,  MR.  F.  F., 
PARDEE,  MR.  &  MRS.  CALVIN, 
PARDEE,  Miss, 
PEABODY,  MR.  CHARLES, 
PEPPER,  DR.  WILLIAM, 
PFAELZER,  MR.  MAURICE, 
RANDOLPH,  MRS.  LOUISA, 
RITCHIE,  MR.  CRAIG  D., 

ROSENGARTEN,  MR.  JOSEPH  G., 

SAMPSON,  Miss  EDITH  F., 
SCHMIDT,  MR.  HENRY, 
SELLERS,  MR.  WILLIAM, 
SHOEMAKER,  MRS.  BENJAMIN, 
SILL,  MRS.  H.  M., 
SMITH,  Miss  ANNA  W., 
SMITH,  MR.  BENJAMIN  R., 
SMITH,  Miss  E.  N., 
SMYTH,  MR.  LINDLEY, 
STOTESBURY,  MR.  E.  T., 
THOMAS,  MR.  GEORGE  C., 
THOMPSON,  MRS.  J.  E., 
TOWNE,  MRS.  J.  H., 
TOWER,  MR.  C.,  JR. 
VAIL,  Miss, 

VON  UTASSEY,  MR.  A.  W., 
WARNER,  MR.  REDWOOD  F. 
WEIDENER,  MR.  A.  J., 
WHARTON,  MRS.  CHARLES  W., 
WHARTON,  MRS.  JOSEPH, 
WHARTON,  MR.  JOSEPH, 
WHARTON,  MRS.  J.  LOVERING, 
WHELEN,  MR.  EDWARD  S., 


264     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

WHITALL,  MRS.  J.  M.,  WILLIAMS,  DR.  EDWARD  H., 

WHITNEY,  MRS.  W.  B.,  WOOD,  REV.  DR.  CHARLES, 

WRIGHT,  Miss  BESSIE. 


COUNCILLORS   FOR   PHILADELPHIA. 


ALBERTSON,  MR.  HENRY, 
BAIRD,  MRS.  MATTHEW, 
BAIRD,  MR.  JOHN, 
BARTLETT,  REV.  EDWARD  T., 
BLAIR,  MRS.  ANDREW  A., 
BURK,  MR.  ADDISON  B., 
BURNHAM,  MR.  GEORGE,  JR., 
BUSHNELL,  MR.  CHARLES  E., 
DOUGLAS,  MR.  WALTER  C., 
GUMMERE,  PROFESSOR  FRANK  B., 
HARRISON,  MR.  CHARLES  C., 
HEAD,  MRS.  E.  L., 
HOFFMAN,  MRS.  EDWARD  F., 
HOUSTON,  Miss  GERTRUDE, 
JAYNE,  DR.  HORACE, 
JENKS,  MRS.  WILLIAM  F., 
KEEN,  DR.  W.  W., 
LAMBDIN,  DR.  ALFRED  C. 
LEONARD,  MR.  JAMES  B., 
MACINTOSH,  REV.  DR.  JOHN  S., 
MACALISTER,  DR.  JAMES, 
MACVEAGH,  MRS.  WAYN 
MAGILL,  DR.  EDWARD  A. 
MARSHALL,  DR.  CLARA, 
MCMURTRIE,  Miss  MARY  D., 
MILES,  MR.  FREDERICK  B., 
MORLEY,  PROFESSOR  FRANK, 


MUMFORD,  MRS.  MARY  E., 
PATTEN,  PROFESSOR  SIMON  N., 
PEPPER,  MRS.  GEORGE  W., 
PEPPER,  DR.  WILLIAM, 
RHOADES,  DR.  JAMES  E., 

ROSENGARTEN,  MR.  JOSEPH  G., 

SAMPSON,  Miss  EDITH  F., 
SAYRE,  MR.  W.  L., 
SELLERS,  MR.  WILLIAM, 
SHARPLESS,  DR.  ISAAC, 
SKIDMORE,  MR.  SYDNEY  T., 
STETSON,  MR.  JOHN  B., 
STEWART,  Miss  SARAH  A., 
STITT,  MRS.  SETH  B., 
STRAWBRIDGE,  MR.  JUSTUS  C., 
STUART,  MR.  EDWIN  S., 

SULZBERGER,  MR.  MAYER, 

THOMAS,  DR.  CHARLES  H., 
THOMAS,  Miss  M.  CAREY, 
THOMSON,  DR.  WILLIAM, 
WAGNER,  MR.  SAMUEL, 
WHARTON,  MR.  JOSEPH, 
WHITE,  DR.  FRANCIS  E., 
WILLIAMS,  MR.  TALCOTT, 
WILSON,  MR.  JOSEPH  M., 
WOOD,  Miss  IDA, 
WOOD,  REV.  DR.  CHARLES, 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  265 


DELEGATES. 

BEARDSLEY,  PROFESSOR  ARTHUR,  Swarthmore  College,  Swarth- 
more,  Pa. 

BIGELOW,  MR.  R.  B.,  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  Md. 

BIRNES,  PROFESSOR  WILLIAM  P.,  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

BLACK,  PRESIDENT  WILLIAM  H. ,  Missouri  Valley  College,  Mar- 
shall, Mo. 

BOURNE,  PROFESSOR  HENRY  E.,  Norwich  Free  Academy,  Hart- 
ford, Conn. 

BUCKHAM,  PRESIDENT  M.  H.,  University  of  Vermont,  Burling- 
ton, Vt. 

BUDD,  MR.  H.  I.,  Mount  Holly  Centre,  Mount  Holly,  N.  J. 

BUEHRLE,  SUPERINTENDENT  B.  K.,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

BUTTZ,  PRESIDENT  PL  A.,  Drew  Theological  Seminary,  Madison, 
N.  Y. 

COLEMAN,  RT.  REV.  LEIGHTON,  Bishop  of  Delaware,  Wilming- 
ton, Del. 

CORSE,  MR.  F.  M.,  University  of  Vermont,  Burlington,  Vt. 

DAVENPORT,  MR.  CHARLES  B.,  Harvard  University,  Cambridge, 
Mass. 

DAY,  MR.  B.  C.,  Columbia  College,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

DEGARMO,  PRESIDENT  CHARLES,  Swarthmore  College,  Swarth- 
more, Pa. 

DEWEY,  MR.  MELVIL,  Secretary  of  University  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

DIMM,  PRINCIPAL  J.  R.,  Missionary  Institute,  Selin's  Grove,  Pa. 

DOWLING,  PROFESSOR  F.  N.,  Bethany  College,  Bethany,  West  Va. 

DUBBS,  PROFESSOR  JOSEPH  H.,  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

DUNCAN,  MR.  GEORGE  S.,  Harrisburg  Centre,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

EDGAR,  PRESIDENT  J.,  Wilson  College,  Chambersburg,  Pa. 

ETTINGER,  PROFESSOR  GEORGE  T.,  Muhlenberg  College,  Allen- 
town,  Pa. 

FELL,  PRESIDENT  THOMAS,  St.  John's  College,  Annapolis,  Md. 


266     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

FERGUSON,  PROFESSOR  HENRY,  Trinity  College,  Hartford,  Conn. 
FISHER,  PROFESSOR  GEORGE  P.,  Yale  University,  New  Haven, 

Conn. 

FOSTER,  SUPERINTENDENT  CHARLES  F.,  Chester,  Pa. 
FRY,  REV.  CHARLES  L.,  President  Extension  Society,  Lancaster, 

PA. 
GILBERT,  PROFESSOR  GEORGE,  President  Chester  Centre,  Chester, 

Pa. 

GREEN,  MR.  D.  I.,  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  Md. 
GRINE,    MR.    R.    W.,    Johns   Hopkins   University,    Baltimore, 

Md. 

HAGER,  Miss,  Lancaster  Centre,  Lancaster,  Pa. 
HALL,   PRESIDENT  G.   STANLEY,   Clark  University,   Worcester, 

Mass. 

HARE,  REV.  J.  M.,  Phcenixville  Centre,  Phcenixville,  Pa. 
HARK,  REV.  J.  MAX,  Lancaster  Centre,  Lancaster,  Pa. 
HARRIS,  HON.  WILLIAM  T.,  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Education, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
HARTER,  PROFESSOR  GEORGE  A.,  Delaware  College,   Newark, 

Del. 

HARTRANFT,  REV.  F.  B.,  Hartford  Theological  Seminary,  Hart- 
ford, Conn. 

HATCH,  SUPERINTENDENT  WILLIAM  E.,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 
HINES,  PROFESSOR   CHARLES   F.,   Dickinson   College,  Carlisle, 

Pa. 
HOLLANDER,  MR.  J.  H.,  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore, 

Md. 
HOOPER,  PROFESSOR  FRANKLIN  W.,  Brooklyn  Institute,  Brooklyn, 

N.  Y. 

HOOVER,  SECRETARY  S.  R.,  Lebanon  Centre,  Lebanon,  Pa. 
HOVEY,  PRINCIPAL  E.  O.,  Newark  Centre,  Newark,  N.  J. 
HOWELL,  MR.  J.  R.,  Mount  Holly  Centre,  Mount  Holly,  N.  J. 
HYATT,  COL.  CHARLES  E.,  President  Penna.  Military  Academy, 

Chester,  Pa. 

JOHANN,  PRESIDENT  CARL,  Eureka  College,  Eureka,  111. 
JONES,  MR.  ADDISON,  Chairman  of  West  Chester  Centre,  West 

Chester,  Pa. 


The  Report  of  the  American  Society.  267 

KAIGHN,  MR.  E.  P.,  Secretary  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Springfield,  Mass. 

KERR,  PRESIDENT  D.  R.,  Omaha  College,  Omaha,  Neb. 

KERSHNER,  PROFESSOR  J.  E.,  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

KIEFFER,  PROFESSOR  JOHN  B.,  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

KINLEY,  MR.  DAVID,  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  Md. 

LEASE,  MR.  E.  B.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

LIBBEY,  JR.,  PROFESSOR  WILLIAM,  College  of  New  Jersey,  Prince- 
ton, N.  J. 

MARTIN,  PROFESSOR  S.  A.,  Lincoln  University,  Lincoln  Univer- 
sity P.  O.,  Pa. 

MCDIARMID,  PRESIDENT  H.,  Bethany  College,  Bethany,  West  Va. 

MCKNIGHT,  PRESIDENT  H.  W.,  Pennsylvania  College,  Gettys- 
burg, Pa. 

MELOY,  PROFESSOR  ANDREW  E.,  State  Normal,  Lock  Haven,  Pa. 

MERRILL,  PROFESSOR  W.  A.,  Miami  University,  Oxford,  Ohio. 

MILLER,  MR.  EDGAR  G.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

MILLIGAN,  SUPERINTENDENT  WILLIAM,  Woodbury,  N.  J. 

MITCHELL,  PRESIDENT  EDWARD  C.,  Leland  University/ New 
.  Orleans,  La. 

MOORE,  REV.  W.  W.,  Rector  of  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

MORSE,  MR.  F.  L.,  Hanover,  Ind. 

MOTTER,  DR.  MURRAY  GALT,  Lancaster  Centre,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

MULL,  MR.  GEORGE  F.,  Lancaster  Centre,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

MUNRO,  PROFESSOR  WILFRED  H.,  Brown  University,  Providence, 
R.  I. 

OGDEN,  PROFESSOR  HOWARD  N.,  University  of  West  Virginia, 
Morgantown,  West  Va. 

PAHLMANN,  PROFESSOR  AUGUST,  Lutheran  Theological  Seminary, 
Gettysburg,  Pa. 

PHILPUTT,  REV.  A.  B.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

PRATT,  PRINCIPAL  F.  B.,  Pratt  Institute,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

PRIZER,  MR.  CHARLES  S.,  Reading  Centre,  Reading,  Pa. 

PURINTON,  PRESIDENT  D.  B.,  Denison  University,  Granville, 
Ohio. 


268     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

RAINE,  SUPERINTENDENT  CHARLES  D.,  Mount  Holly,  N.  J. 

RAUB,  PRESIDENT  ALBERT  N.,  Delaware  College,  Newark,  Del. 

RAYMOND,  PRESIDENT  S.  P.,  Wesleyan  University,  Middletown, 
Conn. 

RICE,  PROFESSOR  WILLIAM  NORTH,  Wesleyan  University,  Middle- 
town,  Conn. 

RICHARDS,  PROFESSOR  M.  H.,  Muhlenberg  College,  Allentown, 
Pa. 

ROGERS,  PROFESSOR  ROBERT  W.,  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pa. 

SANFORD,  PROFESSOR  M.  L.,  University  of  Minnesota,  Minne- 
apolis, Minn. 

SCHMAUK,  REV.  T.  E.,  President  Extension  Society,  Lebanon,  Pa. 

SHERLEY,  MR.  FRED.,  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

SMITH,  PRESIDENT  W.  W.,  Randolph-Macon  College,  Ashland, 
Va.  ' 

SPROULL,  PROFESSOR  W.  O.,  University  of  Cincinnati,  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio. 

STAHR,  PRESIDENT  JOHN  S.,  Franklin  and  Marshall  College, 
Lancaster,  Pa. 

STILES,  DR.  CHARLES  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

SUPER,  PRESIDENT  CHARLES  W.,  Ohio  University,  Athens,  Ohio. 

THOMAS,  MR.  RALPH  W.,  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

VANMETER,  DEAN  JOHN  B.,  Women's  College,  Baltimore,  Md. 

VENTER,  MR.  W.  A.,  Secretary  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Trenton,  N.  J. 

VINCENT,  BISHOP  JOHN  H.,  Chancellor  of  the  Chautauqua  System, 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

WARD,  PROFESSOR  HENRY  BALDWIN,  Harvard  University,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass. 

WHITCOMB,  DR.  HENRY  B.,  Norristown  Centre,  Norristown,  Pa. 

WOODBURN,  PROFESSOR  JAMES  A.,  University  of  Indiana,  Bloom- 
ington,  Ind. 

WOOLEY,  PROFESSOR  L.  C.,  Bethany  College,  Bethany,  West  Va. 

ZULLIG,  PROFESSOR  ARNOLD,  High  School,  Watertown,  Mass. 


APPENDIX   A. 


UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  NEW  YORK. 

BY   MELVIL   DEWEY, 
Secretary  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

BEFORE  submitting  the  University  Extension  plans  of  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York,  I  must  make  sure  that  you 
do  not  misunderstand  what  that  University  is.  It  is  not  a 
teaching  body,  and  has  neither  professors,  class-rooms,  nor  stu- 
dents in  the  ordinary  sense.  May  i  is  celebrated  in  New  York 
as  University  Day  because  on  that  day,  in  1784,  as  a  result  of  the 
labors  of  a  committee,  of  which  Alexander  Hamilton  was  the 
most  prominent  member,  this  unique  University  had  its  birth. 
The  idea  of  federal  government,  of  which  Hamilton's  mind  was 
full,  is  deeply  stamped  on  our  University.  It  is  really  a  feder- 
ation of  all  incorporated  academies,  colleges,  universities,  pro- 
fessional and  technical  schools,  and  other  institutions  of  higher 
education  in  New  York  State,  though  each  has  its  independent 
trustees  and  government,  just  as  the  forty-four  States  of  the 
Union  are  all  sovereign  and  independent,  and  yet  together  make 
up  this  nation.  As  the  United  States  government  has  no  terri- 
tory except  the  little  District  of  Columbia,  so  the  University  of 
the  State  of  New  York  has  only  the  forty  or  fifty  rooms  occupied 
by  its  departments  and  offices  at  the  State  Capitol.  The  Uni- 
versity, however,  is  governed  by  its  regents,  the  federated  insti- 
tutions having  only  an  advisory  voice  in  its  administration. 
Many  of  its  functions  are  those  of  a  State  department  of  higher 
education,  distinct  from  the  department  of  public  instruction  in 
charge  of  common  schools.  It  began  with  only  a  single  insti- 
tution, Columbia  College. 

269 


270     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

The  great  common-school  system  of  New  York  is  an  outgrowth 
of  the  University,  which  urged  on  the  government  the  need  of 
establishing  elementary  schools  at  the  cost  and  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  State.  The  germs  of  the  greatest  possibilities  were 
in  Hamilton's  original  idea,  but  for  three-quarters  of  a  century 
they  lay  largely  dormant.  During  the  civil  war  two  important 
steps  were  taken.  In  1863  began  the  series  of  University  Convo- 
cations, annual  gatherings,  in  the  second  week  of  July,  of  the 
representatives  of  the  colleges  and  academies  of  the  State,  which 
have  grown  more  and  more  important,  till  recent  sessions  have 
been  pronounced  by  the  most  competent  judges  the  best  of 
American  educational  meetings.  Two  years  later,  in  1865,  be- 
gan the  system  of  State  examinations,  which  from  the  smallest 
beginnings  has  steadily  grown  till  it  now  uses  half  a  million 
question  papers  annually  for  examinations  conducted  simultane- 
ously in  three  hundred  and  fifty  different  centres  in  the  State. 
At  first  only  the  common-school  studies, — arithmetic,  geography, 
grammar,  reading,  writing,  and  spelling  were  tested,  in  order  to 
show  what  pupils  had  completed  elementary  work  and  could 
properly  be  classed  as  academic  students,  and  therefore  as  prop- 
erly belonging  to  the  University.  In  1878,  twenty  academic 
studies  were  added,  and  this  number  was  increased  in  1879  to 
thirty-five,  in  1881  to  thirty-six,  in  1883  to  thirty-nine,  in  1885 
to  forty-one,  in  1889  to  forty-two,  in  1890  to  fifty-eight.  With 
the  present  year  the  University  is  giving  examinations  also  in 
law,  medicine,  literary  science,  and  announces  the  early  opening 
of  examinations  in  all  ordinary  college  and  university  subjects. 

In  1889  there  was  a  general  reorganization  of  the  University, 
and  the  forty-four  laws  which  had  grown  up  during  the  one  hun- 
dred and  five  years  of  its  existence  were  all  replaced  by  a  single 
law  greatly  enlarging  its  scope  and  powers.  Our  great  State 
library  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  volumes,  beside  one 
hundred  thousand  duplicates,  and  our  great  State  museum,  with 
the  work  of  the  various  State  scientific  officers,  paleontologist, 
geologist,  botanist,  entomologist,  zoologist,  etc.,  are  now  in- 
tegral departments  of  the  University.  Universities,  colleges, 
academies,  libraries  and  museums,  and  other  institutions  of 


Appendix  A.  271 

higher  education,  are  chartered  by  the  University,  instead  of  by 
the  legislature  as  in  all  other  States,  and  questions  of  change  in 
name,  or  alteration,  suspension,  or  revocation  of  charters  of  such 
institutions  come  to  the  regents  instead  of  to  the  legislature  or 
courts.  The  functions  of  the  University  are  therefore  manifold, 
and  will  be  recognized  as  combining  those  of  various  well- 
known  English  institutions, — the  State  Library  and  the  State 
Museum  correspond  to  the  British  Museum  and  the  natural  his- 
tory departments  at  South  Kensington ;  the  Examinations  de- 
partment has  the  functions  of  London  University,  the  local  ex- 
aminations of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  of  the  Science  and 
Art  department ;  while  the  executive  work  corresponds  to  much 
of  that  of  the  general  education  department.  A  law  of  last 
year  authorized  a  fifth  department,  so  that  the  departments  of 
the  University  are  now  Executive,  Examinations,  University 
Extension,  State  Library,  and  State  Museum.  To  those  inter- 
ested we  are  always  glad  to  send  without  charge  publications  ex- 
plaining the  peculiar  New  York  system.  This  brief  mention 
will  show  its  remarkable  adaptation  for  undertaking  the  work  of 
University  Extension. 

Extension  work  can  have  no  permanent  success  unless  it  utilizes 
fully  the  facilities  of  existing  institutions  and  is  conducted  in 
close  relations  with  them.  On  the  other  hand,  if  each  college 
or  university  undertook  to  maintain  an  administrative  depart- 
ment for  University  Extension  purposes,  the  cost  would  be  pro- 
hibitive. Only  those  who  have  studied  the  elaborate  machinery 
necessary  to  secure  the  best  results  can  understand  how  much 
time  and  expense  are  involved  in  a  central  organization  for  such 
work.  With  us,  the  University  itself,  being  a  central  office  in 
the  interest  of  all  the  separate  institutions,  becomes  the  ideal 
administrative  Extension  centre. 

Now,  a  word  of  warning :  University  Extension  is  a  great 
permanent  force  in  education  which  has  come  to  stay,  but  it  is 
clearly  destined  to  go  through  a  period  of  misapprehension  and 
to  suffer,  probably,  more  from  its  friends  than  from  its  enemies, 
till  Extension  workers  and  the  public  shall  both  come  to  a  clear 
understanding  of  what  the  work  is  and  how  it  can  best  be  done. 


TJHI7IBSITY 


272     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Just  at  present  it  is  the  fashion,  and  is  spreading  through  the 
country  like  the  craze  of  twenty  years  ago  for  velocipedes,  and 
later  for  roller-skates,  when  even  little  villages  built  rinks  for  the 
new  amusement.  Unhappily,  all  sorts  of  things,  more  or  less 
resembling  University  Extension,  are  being  called  by  its  name. 
There  is  a  large  class  of  people  who  seize  on  any  taking  phrase 
or  name  and  try  to  ride  upon  it  into  popular  favor.  A  man  with 
a  course  of  lectures  that  he  could  get  no  opportunity  to  deliver, 
brushes  off  the  dust  and  writes  "  University  Extension"  at  the 
head,  and  immediately  it  is  in  demand.  They  are  the  old 
lectures  without  the  alteration  of  a  word.  It  is  simple  abuse  of 
the  new  name,  and  an  effort  to  ride  into  popular  favor  at  the  very 
front  of  the  movement.  This  is  the  cow-catcher  danger. 

Then  there  is  the  kindling-wood  danger.  In  lighting  a  hard- 
coal  fire  there  is  a  great  blaze  and  roar,  and  not  a  little  heat  as 
the  shavings  and  kindlings  blaze  fiercely  up.  We  are  now  in 
just  this  period  of  University  Extension,  and  it  is  altogether 
probable  that  after  a  little  the  blaze  and  roar  and  heat  will 
die  down,  and  the  casual  observer  will  say,  "  That  is  ended,"  and 
turn  to  the  next  new  fad ;  but  as  with  the  fire,  if  we  handle 
it  properly  it  will  mean  only  that  the  coal  is  just  kindling. 
After  a  little  will  come  the  strong  heat,  and  we  shall  be  in  an  era 
of  real  University  Extension. 

I  met  a  man  last  week  a  little  ailing.  To  my  query  he  answered, 
"  I  have  the  grippe,"  and  then  added,  "  I  have  had  exactly  the 
same  difficulty  for  the  last  forty  years,  but  this  year  it  is  the 
grippe. ' '  Just  in  this  random,  popular  way  everything  good,  bad, 
and  indifferent,  connected  in  any  way  with  reading,  studying, 
lecturing,  examinations,  etc.,  is  called  University  Extension. 

We  must  face  facts,  and  shall  accomplish  more  in  the  end  by 
not  attempting  too  much  at  the  beginning.  I  am  constrained  to 
€nter  my  personal  protest  when  over-zealous  friends  of  the  new 
movement  propose  to  create  new  and  unnecessary  institutions, 
and  to  ignore  the  fact  that  the  work  can  be  done  better  and 
cheaper  by  using  existing  plants.  I  object  to  the  proposed  use 
of  the  name  "  college"  in  connection  with  institutions  that  are 
desirable  in  many  localities.  The  word  college  has  in  the 


Appendix  A.  273 

American  mind  a  distinct  meaning,  and  will  only  be  belittled  by 
applying  it  loosely  to  other  things,  however  good.  Call  it  an 
institute,  seminary,  anything  you  please,  except  to  take  the  word 
college  or  university,  which  conveys  to  the  ordinary  mind  a  sense 
of  protracted  study  in  residence. 

Finally,  I  wish  to  lay  the  greatest  possible  emphasis  on  a  fact 
that  many  seem  to  forget.  The  public  library  is  the  real  corner- 
stone of  University  Extension.  The  mission  of  the  University 
Extension  lecturer  is  less  to  instruct  than  to  inspire.  He  should 
lead  both  auditors  and  students  to  feel  an  interest  in  the  subject 
that  will  force  them  to  read  during  the  week  from  the  books  and 
articles  he  has  recommended,  and  to  come  to  the  class  the  next 
week  full  of  the  fruits  of  this  reading.  An  institution  to  which 
the  name  library  will  usually  be  given,  may  well  be  built  in  the 
form  of  a  Greek  cross,  of  which  the  four  arms  shall  be  used,  one 
for  a  reference  library  and  reading-room,  another  for  the  circu- 
lating library,  the  third  for  a  museum  of  science,  and  the  fourth 
for  a  museum  of  history  and  art,  while  in  the  second  story  will 
be  rooms  of  different  sizes  for  University  Extension  classes.  The 
library  is  the  real  people's  university  of  this  age,  but  it  can  never 
do  its  highest  work  unless  the  public  can  have  the  inspiration  of 
personal  contact  with  teachers  who  will  guide,  and  interest,  and 
help  them  to  get  most  good  from  the  books.  What  we  need  is 
a  well-selected  library  in  every  town,  with  rooms  for  Extension 
classes,  to  which  there  shall  come  frequently  from  the  univer- 
sities Extension  teachers  freighted  with  inspiration.  These 
libraries  in  such  vital  connection  with  the  universities  will  be 
like  hydrants  connected  with  a  great  reservoir  on  the  hill-tops. 
How  vastly  better  in  a  city  is  a  series  of  such  hydrants,  with 
power  enough  to  throw  a  stream  to  the  roof  of  the  tallest  house, 
than  it  would  be  to  have  an  old-fashioned  hand  fire-engine 
standing  before  every  door,  with  a  score  of  men  to  work  the 
brakes.  Our  University  Extension  centres  are  educational  hy- 
drants connected  with  the  high  reservoirs,  the  universities. 

As  to  the  definite  plan  of  work  which  we  have  laid  out  for  the 
State  University  Extension  department,  I  must  remind  you  that 
we  mean  to  go  slowly,  to  build  carefully,  feeling  that  we  are 

18 


274     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

erecting  a  permanent  structure  that  must  have  broad  and  strong 
foundations.  You  can  build  a  temporary  tabernacle  for  a  camp- 
meeting  in  a  week  or  two  ;  but  when  you  build  a  pile  of  granite 
like  your  great  city  hall,  which  centuries  hence  will  be  looked 
on  with  admiration,  you  do  not  hesitate  to  give  years  to  its  con- 
struction. Our  department  includes  not  only  University  Ex- 
tension proper,  but  all  other  educational  work  not  covered  by 
our  schools,  academies,  colleges,  libraries,  and  museums.  The 
following  statements  from  our  first  circular  will  make  clear  our 
plans : 

PLAN   OF  WORK. 

Publications,  to  be  had  free  from  the  University  Extension 
department,  give  a  brief  history  of  the  movement,  and  detail  the 
methods  found  most  successful  in  its  workings.  The  present  cir- 
cular aims  to  outline  briefly  the  work  of  the  new  department,  for 
which  the  last  legislature  appropriated  ten  thousand  dollars.  The 
State  fiscal  year  begins  October  i,  but  in  establishing  a  new  de- 
partment it  was  deemed  more  important  to  utilize  fully  the 
experience  of  those  who  had  been  conducting  similar  work  during 
the  past  twenty  years  than  to  start  at  the  earliest  possible  day. 
As  the  secretary  returned  late  in  October  from  a  second  study  of 
the  methods  and  workings  of  the  Extension  system  in  the  Eng- 
lish universities,  the  department  was  not  formally  organized  till 
November,  1891. 

Use  of  State  Appropriation. — There  has  been  serious  misappre- 
hension in  many  quarters  as  to  the  method  of  spending  the  new 
appropriation,  some  supposing  that  on  application  the  regents 
would  send  about  the  State,  without  charge,  university  professors 
to  deliver  free  courses  of  lectures.  The  law  distinctly  provides 
that  no  part  of  the  money  shall  be  so  spent,  it  being  the  intent 
of  the  act  that  such  expenses  shall  be  borne  by  the  localities 
benefited.  The  appropriation  is  for  expenses  of  such  adminis- 
trative and  other  work  as  can  be  done  better  and  cheaper  in  the 
central  office  at  the  capitol  for  the  whole  State  than  by  individual 
centres.  Besides  doing  such  administrative  work  for  its  colleges 
and  academies,  the  State  annually  distributes  one  hundred  and 


Appendix  A.  275 

six  thousand  dollars  to  its  academies  to  buy  books  and  apparatus, 
and  to  pay  teachers'  wages.  For  University  Extension,  however, 
it  makes  no  such  provision,  but  only  lends  necessary  books  and 
apparatus  to  communities  needing  such  assistance  in  increasing 
educational  facilities.  The  Extension  department  has  already  re- 
ceived some  aid  from  private  sources,  and  invites  gifts  either  for 
immediate  use  or  for  permanent  endowments,  which  will  enable 
it  to  contribute  toward  the  salaries  of  competent  Extension 
teachers,  for  which  State  money  cannot  be  used. 

Rigid  economy  in  the  use  of  this  money  is  necessary,  because : 

(a)  The  appropriation  is  so  small  in  comparison  with  the  ex- 
tent of  the  work  to  be  undertaken,  averaging  less  than  one  dollar 
to  each  school  district  in  the  State. 

(£)  Permanent  success  of  the  movement  requires  that  conserv- 
ative and  doubtful  legislators  shall  see  that  every  dollar  is 
needed  and  has  been  expended  wisely  and  economically. 

Subjects  Properly  Covered  by  Extension  Courses. — The  word 
"  university"  misleads  many  into  thinking  only  of  ordinary  col- 
lege studies.  The  law  intentionally  omits  the  limiting  words, 
and  says  only  "opportunities  and  facilities  for  education  for  the 
people  at  large,  adults  as  well  as  youth."  It  includes,  therefore, 
any  subject  which  can  be  included  under  the  broadest  concep- 
tion of  education,  whether  it  is  taught  usually  in  academy,  col- 
lege, university,  professional  or  technical  school,  or  even  if  it  is 
taught  in  no  other  institution. 

Location  of  Office. — The  office  of  the  Extension  department  is 
in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  fourth  floor  of  the  capitol,  between 
the  upper  rooms  of  the  State  library  and  the  examinations  de- 
partment, with  both  of  which  its  work  will  be  very  intimately 
connected. 

The  notes  below  show  what  the  work  of  the  department  is, 
and  how  much  the  State  furnishes  free  to  localities  willing  to  pay 
the  teacher's  fees  and  expenses. 

i.  Information  Bureau. — This  answers,  either  personally  or  by 
correspondence,  questions  of  all  kinds  pertaining  to  any  phase 
of  Extension  work,  including  not  only  University  Extension  in 
its  more  limited  sense,  but  also  courses  of  reading,  home  study, 


276     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

examinations  and  credentials,  self-culture,  and  all  reputable 
movements  at  home  and  abroad  for  providing  larger  facilities  for 
higher  education  outside  the  schools. 

An  important  part  of  the  work  at  present  is  in  putting  those 
needing  such  aids  into  communication  with  the  best  of  the  many 
agencies  which  have  sprung  up  in  recent  years  for  helping  those 
who  wish  to  help  themselves,  notably  the  great  Chautauqua  sys- 
tem of  guided  reading.  Instead  of  duplicating  existing  facilities, 
the  department  prefers  to  have  every  institution  do  all  it  can  do 
well,  and  therefore  gladly  refers  inquirers  to  the  place  where 
they  can  find  the  needed  help  already  provided. 

2.  Extension  Library. — This  includes  not  only  books,  pam- 
phlets, and  serials  pertaining  to  the  various  phases  of  Extension 
work,  but  also  syllabuses,  circulars,  programmes,  blanks,  and  forms 
illustrative  of  methods,  and  everything  else  obtainable  in  print 
which  the  most  thorough  student  of  the  movement  would  find  of 
interest.     This  Extension  library  is  to  be  made  as  complete  as 
possible,  including  all  languages,  and  will  be  an  important  at- 
traction to  those  engaged  in  Extension  work  to  attend  the  annual 
Extension  conferences  at  the  time  of  University  Convocation. 
To  increase  its  convenience,  it  is  minutely  classified  by  subjects, 
so  that  any  student  of  Extension  methods,  experiments,  and  ex- 
perience can  see  what  the  rest  of  the  world  has  done  and  is  doing 
on  any  of  the  hundreds  of  phases  of  the  movement.     All  sylla- 
buses, both  American  and  foreign,  are  also  brought  together  and 
minutely  classified  by  subjects  treated. 

The  complete  file  of  publications  can  always  be  found  in  the 
building  for  reference ;  but  as  most  of  the  Extension  library  is 
duplicated,  the  second  copies  will  be  available  for  lending  to  Ex- 
tension workers  throughout  the  State  who  are  unable  to  come  to 
Albany  to  consult  them.  This  library  is  for  the  promoters  and 
managers  of  the  movement.  For  students,  provision  is  made  in 
travelling  libraries  and  in  loans  of  books  on  the  special  subject 
under  consideration  at  any  given  time. 

3.  Publications. — As  the  Extension   movement   is   compara- 
tively so  new,   one  of  the  greatest  needs   is   full   information 
in   print   for  the   increasing   number   desirous  of  knowing  its 


Appendix  A.  277 

history,  methods,  advantages,  and  limitations.  Besides  ex- 
planatory and  descriptive  circulars  and  other  documents  which 
are  sent  post-free  to  all  applicants,  there  are  kept  constantly  on 
hand  the  best  periodicals,  pamphlets,  and  books  from  the  whole 
field  of  extension  literature,  to  be  lent  to  interested  applicants 
free,  or  sold  at  wholesale  cost.  Books  lent  are  unmarked,  so  that 
the  reader  has  the  option  of  returning  them  post-paid,  or  of  re- 
taining them  and  sending  the  wholesale  price.  Each  book  lent 
has  next  the  front  cover  a  slip  lightly  pasted  at  one  end,  reading, 
"  This  book  is  charged  at  Albany  to  a  responsible  borrower.  It 
must  be  returned  post-paid  within  two  weeks,  or  this  slip,  the 
number  on  which  identifies  the  charge,  may  be  torn  out  and  re- 
turned with cents  to  pay  its  wholesale  cost.  The  charge 

will  then  be  cancelled  and  the  book  recorded  as  paid  for." 
Borrowers  not  known  to  the  office  as  responsible  deposit  the 
value  of  books  taken,  which  is  refunded  on  their  return. 

The  cost  of  securing  needed  publications  is  thus  greatly 
reduced,  and  the  department  can  promptly  furnish  the  best  pub- 
lications on  every  phase  of  the  subject  in  a  single  package,  when 
otherwise  those  interested  might  be  compelled  to  write  to  a  dozen 
different  sources,  and,  as  some  of  the  matter  must  be  imported,  to 
wait  several  weeks  for  its  arrival,  besides  suffering  the  annoyance 
of  custom-house  routine.  The  small  price  affixed  to  certain 
publications  guards  against  the  waste  inevitable  if  they  are  given 
free  to  all  applicants,  and  also  guards  against  the  criticism  that 
State  money  is  used  to  print  or  buy  books  to  be  given  away. 
Local  committees  and  others  desiring  to  distribute  documents  in 
aid  of  Extension  work  will  be  supplied  at  mere  cost  of  paper 
and  press- work,  i.e.,  one  cent  for  each  sixteen  pages  like  this 
circular. 

A  list  of  the  best  publications  is  supplied  free,  and  notes  under 
each  title  indicate  its  character,  so  that  inquirers  may  select  what 
they  need  and  order  it  by  simply  giving  the  number  prefixed  in 
the  check  list. 

4.  Organizing. — To  any  locality  wishing  to  establish  Extension 
courses,  the  department  undertakes  to  give  expert  assistance  in 
selecting  subjects,  teachers,  and  dates,  arranging  terms,  and  per- 


278     TJie  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

fecting  any  needed  organization  for  doing  the  work  in  the  way 
experience  has  shown  to  be  best.  This  may  be  done  by  corre- 
spondence, though  it  can  usually  be  better  done  if  the  organizer 
visits  the  centre  in  person,  so  that  he  can  study  local  conditions, 
become  acquainted  with  those  in  the  community  interested  in 
such  work,  and  personally  assist  in  the  preliminary  organization. 
The  organizers  are  provided  with  all  needed  blanks  and  forms 
for  this  work.  The  department  hopes  to  be  able  to  send  to  any 
place  in  the  State  a  suitable  person  to  give  a  public  address  to 
stimulate  general  interest,  or  meet  a  smaller  number  chosen  as  a 
local  committee,  or  render  any  assistance  in  the  power  of  a 
competent  specialist.  No  charge  is  made  for  such  service, 
beyond  actual  travelling  expenses.  In  case  of  the  illness  of  a 
lecturer  during  the  course,  the  department  will  try  to  provide 
the  most  satisfactory  substitute  available. 

Expenses  for  which  provision  must  be  made  by  the  centre  are 
the  teacher's  fee,  travelling  expenses,  and  local  expenses,  such 
as  hall,  heat,  light,  and  advertising.  The  department  will  sup- 
ply any  of  these  lecturers  with  thousand-mile  tickets,  as  any 
parts  of  tickets  left  over  can  be  used  in  other  places,  and  the 
centre  be  charged  only  for  the  amount  used  in  its  service.  The 
fee  for  the  course  should  be  provided  for  in  advance,  and,  if 
intrusted  to  the  department,  one-half  should  be  sent  before  the 
course  begins  and  the  remainder  before  the  sixth  lecture.  Col- 
lege professors,  as  a  rule,  prefer  to  have  terms  arranged  and 
to  receive  their  compensation  from  the  Extension  department, 
rather  than  conduct  negotiations  and  collect  fees  in  person.  As 
the  supply  of  competent  teachers  is  far  less  than  the  demand,  it 
is  folly  to  waste  any  of  their  time  and  strength  on  business 
details.  That  there  may  be  no  misunderstanding,  blank  forms 
filled  with  an  explicit  statement  of  exact  terms  in  writing  are 
supplied  both  to  teachers  and  local  secretaries.  Obviously  it  will 
be  pleasanter  and  better  for  all  parties  to  have  financial  arrange- 
ments made  through  the  department.  All  this  work  is  done  by 
the  office  without  charge  or  commission,  and  it  will  often  be  able 
so  to  arrange  courses  in  circuits  or  on  succeeding  nights  as  to  re- 
duce materially  the  travelling  expenses  or  time  taken,  and  there- 


Appendix  A.  279 

fore  the  amount  of  fees  to  be  paid.     (See  also  "  Expenses,"  in 
How  to  begin  University  Extension.') 

5.  Supervising. — As  in  organizing,  the  department  will  on  re- 
quest endeavor  to  send  an  expert  to  inspect  the  workings  of 
centres  and  give  such  practical  suggestions  as  may  enable  them 
to  accomplish  better  work  with  the  time  and  money  at  their  dis- 
posal.    It  constantly  happens,  specially  in  the  early  years,  that 
centres  accomplish  only  half  the  work  possible,  or  sometimes  are 
wholly  abandoned,  when  one  thoroughly  familiar  with  Extension 
methods  could  readily  have  pointed  out  mistakes  and  introduced 
new  elements  which  would  have  insured  high  success. 

Though  Extension  teaching  is  a  new  and  peculiar  form  of 
education,  its  methods  have  already  been  worked  out  with  great 
care.  Centres,  however,  are  springing  up  in  many  places  with 
very  imperfect  notions  of  what  these  methods  are,  and  as  a  re- 
sult are  giving  courses  of  lectures  with  more  or  less  work  resem- 
bling University  Extension  proper,  but  by  no  means  entitled  to 
the  name.  Perhaps  no  work  of  the  department  will  be  more 
important  for  the  first  years  than  this  advisory  supervision  for 
enabling  local  centres  to  utilize  fully  the  experiments  and  ex- 
periences of  the  remarkable  work  carried  on  for  the  past  twenty 
years  by  the  English  universities. 

6.  Supplies. — Specially  ruled  and  printed  books  and  forms  for 
recording  attendance  at  lectures,  classes,  and  clubs,  for  marks  of 
papers  and  examinations,  and  other  needed  records,  are  furnished 
free.     The  department  furnishes  syllabuses  for  less  than  centres 
can   print   them,  as  it   divides   their  cost   among   the  various 
centres  using  the  same  syllabus.     For  protection  of  the  sylla- 
buses, it   further   provides,  if  requested,  manilla  pockets   con- 
taining also   note-books   of  uniform  size,  costing  at  wholesale 
only  five  dollars  per  hundred,   so  that  centres  can  furnish  a 
manilla  pocket,  holding  ticket,  syllabus,  and  note-book,  to  each 
person  buying  a  ticket.     For  centres  preferring,  the  syllabus  will 
be  printed  with  blank  pages  for  notes,  but  the  separate  note-book, 
uniform  in  size,  is  preferable,  and,  if  supplied  with  the  ticket, 
many  more  students  will  take  notes  and  profit  more  from  the 
course. 


280     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

Tickets  for  the  course  can  be  had  at  twenty-five  cents  per  hun- 
dred, and  blanks  (described  in  circular  n,  page  5)  for  securing 
members  and  students,  at  ten  cents  per  hundred. 

Every  centre  is  of  course  free  to  get  its  supplies  where  it 
chooses.  The  department  aims  simply  to  save  time  and  money 
by  getting  at  wholesale  supplies  needed  by  many  centres,  and 
distributing  them  without  profit  among  centres  asking  such  ser- 
vice. 

7.  Extension  Teachers. — Two  lists  are  kept  of  all  available 
lecturers,  and  class  or  correspondence  teachers,  with  notes  of 
education,  academic  degrees,  experience  in  teaching,  subjects, 
length  of  each  course,  months  and  days  when  service  is  available, 
price,  and  any  other  items  that  would  help  in  making  a  selection. 
One  of  these  lists  is  arranged  alphabetically,  the  other  is  classi- 
fied by  subjects.  These  lists  of  teachers  may  be  consulted  by 
all  interested. 

Later  there  will  doubtless  be  a  distinct  University  Extension 
faculty,  representing  the  most  successful  teachers  available  for 
the  work.  This,  however,  cannot  take  permanent  form  until 
after  a  year  or  two's  experience,  for  some  of  the  most  eminent 
university  professors  may  be  less  successful  in  this  new  and 
peculiar  form  of  teaching,  while  experience  has  proved  that  some 
of  the  very  best  work  will  be  done  by  young  men  whose  reputa- 
tion is  not  yet  made. 

While  the  best  work  is  always  done  by  lecturers  who  also  con- 
duct classes  and  correct  weekly  papers,  there  may  be  some  de- 
sirable teachers  who  will  give  only  inspirational  lectures,  leaving 
pupils  to  get  their  instruction  chiefly  from  the  books  recom- 
mended ;  others  may  be  more  successful  in  class-work  than  in 
lecturing,  while  still  others  may  accomplish  most  by  correspond- 
ence, giving  needed  guidance  to  their  pupils  by  mail.  The  most 
desirable  and  efficient  teachers,  of  course,  combine  all  these 
methods. 

The  State  pays  no  part  of  the  teacher's  fees  or  travelling  ex- 
penses ;  but  it  furnishes  teachers  in  regents'  centres  with  needed 
blanks,  circulars  for  distribution,  etc.,  and  lends  books,  appa- 
ratus, or  illustrative  material  if  needed.  While  the  unusual 


Appendix  A.  281 

number  of  competent  professors  and  specialists  in  our  own  State, 
and  economy  in  time  and  travelling  expenses  to  be  gained  by 
using  teachers  as  near  home  as  possible,  will  insure  that  the  great 
majority  of  teachers  will  be  New  Yorkers,  the  department  makes 
no  limitation,  but  aims  to  recommend  to  each  community  the 
best  teacher  available  for  its  purpose,  regardless  of  his  residence. 
Near  the  borders  of  another  State  it  will  often  be  wiser  to  com- 
bine with  towns  over  the  line,  and  perhaps  to  use  their  teachers. 

8.  Examinations. — Examinations  are  one  of  the  most  essential 
features  of  the  plan,  because  of  their  great  influence  in  holding 
Extension  students  up  to  continuous  and  systematic  work,  and 
of  their  necessity  as  a  test  in  determining  the  quality  of  teaching 
and  the  success  of  the  study  done. 

A  successful  Extension  teacher  must  be  able  to  do  two  things : 
to  hold  the  interest  of  his  audience  ;  to  give  them  such  instruc- 
tion that  at  the  end  of  the  course  they  will  have  a  fund  of  valu- 
able knowledge  on  the  subject.  Interest  is  readily  tested  by 
attendance,  for  people  come  regularly  only  when  the  teacher 
interests  them.  The  second  and  more  important  part,  the 
knowledge  gained,  is  tested  by  means  of  examinations  conducted 
quite  independently  of  the  teacher. 

When  a  course  is  completed,  the  University  will  give  an  exami- 
nation prepared  by  skilful  and  experienced  examiners,  and  cov- 
ering only  the  ground  specified  in  the  syllabus,  so  that  nothing 
shall  be  asked  which  should  not  readily  be  answered  by  any 
person  who  has  attended  the  lectures  and  done  the  class  and 
paper  work  satisfactorily.  Extension  students  thus  have  a  test 
which  experience  has  proved  much  more  valuable  than  it  would 
be  if  the  teacher  who  had  given  the  instruction  also  gave  the  ex- 
amination. The  department  prepares  and  prints  the  papers, 
sends  an  examiner  who  conducts  the  test  by  the  most  approved 
methods,  revises  and  grades  all  the  answers,  and  awards  to  those 
who  attain  the  prescribed  standards  suitable  credentials  under  the 
seal  of  the  University.  -  Any  local  or  other  prizes  offered  for  ex- 
cellence in  the  course  will  also  be  awarded.  The  favorite  form 
of  prize  has  been  a  collection  of  books  on  the  subject  of  the 
course  up  to  the  amount  of  the  prize.  Each  of  these  books  has 


282     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

inside  its  cover  an  official  book-plate  showing  that  it  was  awarded 
by  the  University  to  the  most  successful  student  in  a  specified 
course  and  centre.  Many  are  stimulated  to  do  the  class  and 
paper  work  and  take  the  examination  by  the  possible  honor  of 
winning  one  of  these  prizes,  and  some  one  in  almost  every  centre 
can  be  found  to  give  enough  to  buy  one,  two,  or  three  prizes,  for 
the  wholesale  cost  of  suitable  books  is  small.  The  result  of  the 
examinations  becomes  a  part  of  the  permanent  State  records  in 
the  capitol,  and  the  names  of  those  who  receive  credentials  are 
printed  in  the  next  report  of  the  regents  to  the  legislature. 
Those  who  pass  with  honors  have  the  fact  recorded  on  their  cre- 
dentials. Usually  students'  weekly  papers  are  marked  on  a  scale 
of  10,  the  ten  papers  of  the  course  thus  aggregating  a  possible 
100.  The  examination  at  the  end  is  marked  on  a  scale  of  100, 
and  combined  with  the  results  of  the  paper-work  in  determining 
a  student's  proficiency.  This  has  been  found  a  fairer  test  than 
to  depend  wholly  on  the  results  of  a  single  examination. 

The  Extension  teacher  will  give  permits  to  enter  this  examina- 
tion only  to  such  students  as  have  satisfactorily  done  the  paper- 
work of  the  course.  Others  will  be  admitted  only  after  written 
application  at  least  ten  days  before  the  examination,  showing  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  chief  examiner  that  they  have  pursued 
such  studies  as  would  entitle  them  to  the  official  test  provided  by 
the  State.  The  whole  plan  has  been  worked  out  with  exceeding 
care,  and  is  pronounced  by  experts  to  be  the  fairest  and  most 
completely-organized  system  of  examinations  now  in  operation. 
A  forty-page  hand-book,  fully  explaining  the  system  as  used  in  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty-five  academies  of  the  State,  can  be  had 
free  on  application.  The  same  general  methods  are  used  in  the 
law,  medical,  library,  and  other  examinations  conducted  by  the 
University.  So  that  this  academic  hand-book  will  make  clear  the 
general  features  of  University  Extension  examinations  and  the 
rules  and  directions  for  credentials.  Special  circulars  will  give 
subjects  and  other  details  peculiar  to  Extension  work. 

Every  precaution  is  taken  to  avoid  the  serious  faults  of  most 
extensive  and  fully-organized  systems.  Room  is  left  for  the  in- 
dividuality of  the  teacher,  and  if  in  any  subject  reasonable  cause 


Appendix  A.  283 

can  be  shown  for  using  a  different  form  of  treatment,  an  exami- 
nation will  be  given  on  a  syllabus  drawn  up  in  accordance  with 
the  teacher's  plan,  provided  that  it  shall  represent  an  equal 
quantity  and  quality  of  work,  and  so  shall  not  lower  the 
standard. 

9.  Loans. — As  noted  in  2  and  3,  books  are  lent  from  the 
Extension  library  as  from  other  departments  of  the  State 
library.  By  a  much  larger  system  the  necessary  books,  ap- 
paratus, lantern-slides,  or  other  illustrative  material  needed  for 
the  best  educational  work,  but  beyond  the  resources  of  the  centre 
to  buy  for  itself,  are  lent  from  the  State  Extension  department 
for  use  during  the  course.  The  centre  must  be  responsible  for 
any  injury  beyond  reasonable  wear  and  must  pay  transportation. 
Beyond  this  there  is  no  charge.  Obviously  some  books  and  ap- 
paratus required  for  a  course  in  one  town  maybe  used  a  hundred 
times  before  they  are  worn  out,  thus  involving  only  one  per  cent, 
of  the  expense  required,  if  each  of  the  hundred  localities  were 
compelled  to  buy  its  own.  In  some  cases  these  loans  will 
include  several  copies  of  the  same  book,  so  that  instructors  can 
put  into  the  hands  of  pupils  not  having  their  own  copies  the 
books  most  important  for  them  to  read.  Even  where  there  is  an 
excellent  local  library,  it  cannot,  of  course,  furnish  as  many  copies 
as  are  needed  by  the  class.  The  loan  system  of  the  Extension 
department  is  designed  to  meet  this  need  in  the  most  economical 
way. 

Books  which  many  or  all  of  the  class  need  to  have  at  hand  dur- 
ing the  entire  course  can  be  provided  by  a  loan  system  in  the 
centre  itself.  The  managers  can  buy  any  needed  books  at  the 
lowest  wholesale  price,  and  should  supply  students  without  profit, 
as  some  who  would  not  buy  a  book  at  three  dollars  will  buy  it  if 
it  can  be  had  for  two  dollars,  and  owning  the  work  itself  will 
greatly  increase  the  value  of  the  course  and  the  chances  of  per- 
manent interest.  To  any  student  unable  to  buy,  a  book  should 
be  lent  for  the  entire  course  at  perhaps  one-fifth  of  its  cost,  thus 
enabling  practically  every  student  to  have  always  at  hand  one  or 
two  of*  the  most  necessary  books.  At  the  close  of  the  course  the 
managers  can  send  these  books  to  the  department  for  exchange 


284     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

and  probably  get  nearly  all  they  have  cost,  when  the  money  paid 
for  their  use  is  deducted.  Students  not  known  to  the  local  sec- 
retary would  of  course  deposit  the  value  of  the  book,  four-fifths 
of  which  would  be  refunded  on  return  of  the  book  in  good  con- 
dition, reasonable  wear  excepted. 

10.  Travelling  Libraries. — For  centres  distant  from  a  public 
library,  and  needing  such  assistance,  it  is  arranged  to  send  small 
carefully-selected  libraries  to  be  kept  according  to  circumstances, 
from  a  month  to  a  year,  so  that  those  for  whose  benefit  they  are 
sent  shall  have  ample  opportunity   for   their   satisfactory   use. 
Some  responsible  real-estate  owner  must  guarantee  to  make  good 
any  loss  or  injury  beyond  reasonable  wear,  and  to  return  the 
library  when  called  for,  freight  prepaid.     Also,  some  competent 
person   must  agree  in  writing  to  act   as   librarian,  to   observe 
strictly  the  rules  sent  with  the  library,  and  to  keep  on  the  blanks 
provided  the  record  of  its  use. 

The  books  will  be  sent  in  suitable  cases  with  complete  cata- 
logues and  directions,  and  as  fast  as  practicable  the  department 
will  add  such  aids  and  guides  to  the  most  profitable  reading  as  it 
is  possible  to  put  in  print.  The  selection  of  the  books  them- 
selves will  represent  the  judgment  of  experts,  and  will  be  revised 
as  experience  shows  how  to  improve  at  any  point.  The  co-oper- 
ation of  all  interested  is  invited,  and  suggestions  as  to  these 
travelling  libraries  will  be  specially  welcomed. 

1 1 .  Circuit  Books  and  Apparatus  for  Use  during  the  Course. — 
Centres  wishing  more  books  and  apparatus  than  can  be  furnished 
by  the  department  in  the  form  of  travelling  libraries  or  loans 
may  greatly  reduce  the  cost  of  this  extra  material  by  co-oper- 
ation with  other  centres  requiring  the  same  at  a  different  time. 
For  books  or  apparatus  likely  to  be  required  by  at  least  five 
centres  the  department  will  arrange  a  circuit  on  the  same  plan 
found  so  valuable  in  reducing  the  cost  of  lectures.     Each  of 
five  centres  requiring  the  material  will  be  charged  one-fifth  its 
wholesale  cost,  and  each  will  be  entitled  to  its  use  during  one  full 
course.     The  department  assumes  the  responsibility  and  makes  all 
the  arrangements,  so  that  the  centre  has  simply  to  pay  its  fifth  of 
the  cost,  and  return  the  material  to  Albany  or  ship  it  to  the  next 


Appendix  A.  285 

centre,  as  directed  at  the  close  of  the  course.  Should  any  books 
be  injured  beyond  reasonable  wear,  the  centre  must  pay  for 
damage,  and  if  any  are  unreturned  must  pay  the  other  four-fifths 
of  their  value,  thus  enabling  the  department  to  replace  them. 
Very  often  students  who  borrow  a  book  at  the  beginning  of  the 
course  will  prefer  at  its  close  to  pay  the  remaining  four-fifths  of 
its  wholesale  cost  and  retain  it  permanently.  We  wish  to  avoid 
even  apparent  rivalry  with  local  booksellers,  whose  business 
ought  to  be  stimulated  as  a  result  of  Extension  courses,  but  we 
find  it  necessary  for  the  success  of  the  movement  to  undertake 
this  co-operative  system  of  supply,  which  booksellers  would  find 
quite  impracticable. 

12.  Exchanges. — Through   the    agency   of   the   department, 
books,  apparatus,  or  other  material  which  any  centre  may  have 
bought  for  one  course  and  no  longer  needs,  will,  if  practicable, 
be  exchanged  with  some  other  centre  for  an  equivalent  in  what 
it  requires  for  the  next  year's  work.     The  value  of  what  is  re- 
ceived and  sent  will  be  determined  by  an  appraiser  having  no 
personal  interest  in  the  matter,  and  there  will  be  no  charge  for 
the  work.     The  centre,  of  course,  pays  for  packing  and  transpor- 
tation both  ways. 

13.  Regents'  Centres. — The  facilities  provided  by  the  depart- 
ment are  available  to  all  localities  or  associations  in  the  State 
which  conform  to  the  necessary  rules,  keep  the  records  of  the 
centre,  and  make  an  annual  report  to  the  regents  in  the  form  pre- 
scribed.    As  the  department  is  doing  the  work  of  the  State,  it 
has  no  rivalry  or  competition  with  any  other  organization.     Its 
officers  are  glad  to  find  any  person  or  association  doing  creditable 
work  in  the  interest  of  higher  education,  and  to  give  any  assist- 
ance in  their  power.     Obviously,  however,  the  examinations, 
loans,  travelling  libraries,  facilities  for  exchange,  and  the  right  to 
use  the  name  of  the  department  in  connection  with  the  centre 
should  be  given   only  where  there  is  an  organized  local  centre 
meeting  at  least  the  regents'  minimum  requirements.     A  register 
has  been  opened  for  such  centres  as  shall  maintain  a  course  of 
not  less  than  ten  weeks  during  the  academic  year  under  direction 
of  an  accredited  teacher,  giving  each  week  not  only  instruction, 


286     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

but  also  satisfactory  class  and  paper  work.  Experience  has 
proved  that  as  a  rule  localities  which  think  that  they  are  unable 
to  maintain  a  systematic  course  of  study,  and  that  they  must  begin 
with  a  few  popular  lectures  without  attempting  class  or  paper 
work,  if  required  to  do  so,  usually  find  it  possible  to  establish  a 
regular  Extension  course.  While  the  weekly  meetings  are  the 
rule,  bi-weekly  meetings  for  twenty  weeks,  or  semi-weekly  meet- 
ings for  five  weeks,  will  be  accepted  as  the  equivalent. 

Regular  regents'  centres  are  recorded  and  numbered  in  order 
of  establishment.  A  letter  following  the  number  indicates  extent 
of  work  undertaken.  Centres  maintaining  only  one  course  are 
marked  "E;"  two  courses,  "D;"  three  or  four  courses,  "C;" 
five  to  nine  courses  "  B  ;"  and  the  largest  and  most  active  centres 
which  maintain  ten  or  more  courses  annually  are  marked  "  A." 
Every  centre  which  on  inspection  is  found  to  maintain  at  least 
the  minimum  standard  required  will  receive  a  certificate  that  it 
is  officially  registered  as  "  Regents'  Centre,  No.  — ."  This  en- 
titles it  to  use  that  name,  or,  if  preferred,  the  fuller  form,  "  Uni- 
versity of  the  State  of  New  York,  University  Extension  Depart- 
ment, Centre  No.  — ."  The  public  will  recognize  that  any 
centre  using  this  official  name  is  maintaining  a  standard  of 
teaching  and  work  which  has  been  formally  approved  by  the  Ex- 
tension Department  of  the  University  of  the  State. 

All  are  urged  to  try,  if  possible,  to  reach  at  least  the  minimum 
standard  required  for  a  regents'  centre,  and  it  is  highly  desirable 
that  every  centre  maintaining  instruction  worthy  of  registration 
should  secure  it.  The  department,  however,  interprets  its  duties 
broadly,  and  will  gladly  be  of  any  practicable  service  to  organ- 
ized effort  outside  the  regents'  centres,  assisting  so  far  as  in  its 
power  all  efforts  toward  creditable  work  in  extending  educational 
opportunities  more  widely  to  the  people. 

14.  Registry. — Beside  regular  centres,  the  department  will 
register  each  club,  society,  or  other  organization  engaged  in  any 
phase  of  Extension  work  in  its  broadest  sense.  This  will  include 
lecture  courses  which  lack  the  necessary  elements  for  registry  as 
University  Extension  courses,  but  which  the  department  wishes 
to  know  about  and  to  encourage.  It  is  hoped  that  year  by  year 


Appendix  A.  287 

these  smaller  organized  movements  can  be  fostered  and  made 
larger  and  stronger,  till  they  can  meet  the  requirements  of  regular 
regents'  centres. 

The  department  asks  every  literary,  scientific,  historical,  art, 
or  other  club,  society,  or  association  engaged  in  work  allied  to 
University  Extension,  to  send  for  the  department  files  any  pro- 
grammes, circulars,  or  other  publications  illustrating  its  work,  and 
to  report  its  address,  number  of  members,  annual  fees,  number 
of  meetings  held  yearly,  average  attendance,  subjects  of  study 
and  method  pursued, — e.g.,  addresses,  papers,  readings,  discus- 
sions with  leaders,  conversation,  class  instruction,  etc. 

A  similar  record  of  lecture  courses  maintained  in  the  State  is 
kept,  and  we  ask  a  report  of  the  number  of  lectures,  each  speaker's 
name  and  subject,  price  of  tickets,  and  average  attendance. 

Blanks  for  these  reports  will  be  sent  free  to  any  secretary  or 
officer  whose  address  is  received. 

For  definite  suggestions  about  details,  see  Circular  n,  "How 
to  begin  University  Extension, "  to  be  had  free  on  application  to 
University  Extension  Department,  Regents'  office,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

For  explanations  of  what  University  Extension  really  is,  see 
the  circular  on  the  "Seven  Elements  of  University  Extension 
proper"  viz.,  lecture,  syllabus,  class,  paperwork,  guided  reading, 
students'  clubs,  and  examinations. 


APPENDIX  B. 


GENERAL  ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  THE  AMER- 
ICAN SOCIETY  FOR  THE  EXTENSION  OF 
UNIVERSITY  TEACHING. 

THE  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teach- 
ing was  founded  in  response  to  a  deeply-felt  want  for  a  National 
Association  which  might  assist  in  promoting  the  work  of  Univer- 
sity Extension.  The  friends  of  popular  education  feel  that  the 
time  has  come  for  a  better  utilization  of  the  facilities  for  instruc- 
tion found  in  our  existing  educational  institutions. 

Experience  has  shown  that  this  object  is  accomplished  with 
great  measure  of  success  by  the  movement  popularly  known  as 
University  Extension.  The  results  of  this  system  in  several 
countries,  notably  in  England  and  the  United  States,  have 
attracted  much  attention  and  its  merits  are  now  widely  known. 

To  do  this  work  efficiently  will  require  large  funds.  The  only 
sources  of  income  at  present  are  the  fees  of  members  ($5  annual 
fee,  $50  life-membership  fee)  and  the  voluntary  contributions  of 
friends  of  the  movement.  You  are  cordially  invited  to  become 
a  member  of  the  Society,  and  to  present  its  claims  to  your  friends 
and  acquaintances  who  are,  or  should  be,  interested  in  the  work. 
A  national  movement  like  this  can  succeed  only  when  the  people 
on  the  one  hand  and  the  colleges  on  the  other  take  hold  of  it  in 
earnest. 

The  membership  fee  and  all  other  contributions  may  be  sent 
by  postal  order,  or  draft  on  Philadelphia,  or  by  draft  on  New 
York,  payable  to  the  order  of  Frederick  B.  Miles,  Treasurer  of 
the  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching, 
Fifteenth  and  Chestnut  Streets,  Philadelphia. 

The  American  Society  is  doing  a  two  fold  work.  It  is,  in 
the  first  place,  collecting  information  as  to  the  progress  of  the 
288 


Appendix  B.  289 

movement  in  all  countries,  and  through  its  monthly  journal 
making  it  accessible  to  those  interested  in  this  system  of  instruc- 
tion. In  the  second  place,  it  is  carrying  on  an  extensive  experi- 
ment in  University  Extension  instruction.  This  work  is  a 
persistent  effort  to  solve  the  difficult  problems  involved  in  the 
training  of  lecturers,  the  conduct  and  sequence  of  courses,  and 
the  financial  support  of  centres.  In  this  way  the  work  of  the 
Society  becomes  a  series  of  illustrative  experiments  in  adapting 
University  Extension  teaching  to  American  conditions.  It  is 
plain  that  if  the  Society  can  successfully  solve  these  difficult 
problems  it  will  render  a  great  service  to  American'education, 
making  the  introduction  of  the  work  throughout  the  country  a 
matter  of  comparative  ease.  Every  one  interested  in  the  ultimate 
success  of  this  great  movement  for  popular  education  should, 
therefore,  to  the  extent  of  his  ability,  contribute  to  the  support 
of  the  American  Society. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  SEMINARY  FOR 
THE  STUDY  OF  AMERICAN  EDUCATIONAL 
PROBLEMS  AND  FOR  THE  TRAINING  OF 
UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  LECTURERS. 

IT  is  plain  to  those  who  have  given  serious  attention  to  the 
subject  that  the  movement  for  popular  education  known  as 
University  Extension  has  in  it  the  possibility  of  valuable  and 
permanent  improvement  of  our  educational  system.  It  is  also 
equally  plain  that  to  make  the  work  as  efficient  as  it  may  be, 
there  should  be  a  strong  nucleus  of  persons  engaged  in  the  task 
of  organization  and  instruction  who  have  peculiar  gifts  or  taste 
for  this  sort  of  labor,  and  who  have  received  special  training  for 
it  before  they  enter  it.  Their  services  are  necessary  to  co  operate 
with  and  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  University  professor  and 
instructor. 

Many  prominent  educators  have  expressed  the  fear  that  it  will 
not  be  possible  to  find  men  and  women  of  suitable  education  and 


290     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

training  to  undertake  this  special  work,  and,  indeed,  have  rightly 
insisted  that  there  is  at  present  no  opportunity  for  those  who  would 
be  inclined  to  enter  the  field  to  secure  a  suitable  training  for  it. 

It  is  believed,  however,  by  the  friends  of  the  movement  that 
there  are  many  young  men  and  women  now  studying  in  our 
colleges  who  are  especially  suited  to  this  work,  and  who  would 
prefer  it  to  any  other  if  they  were  sure  they  could  thereby  make 
a  modest  living,  and  if  they  knew  how  properly  to  prepare  them- 
selves. There  are  doubtless  many  professors  and  instructors  in 
our  colleges  and  universities,  many  teachers  in  our  normal  schools 
and  high  schools,  and  many  college  men  and  women  in  other 
careers,  who  would  be  admirably  adapted  to  succeed  in  this  field 
if  they  had  the  necessary  technical  preparation.  It  is  further- 
more clear,  that  the  work  of  University  Extension  offers  a  new 
road  to  permanent  college  positions  besides  the  ordinary  one 
now  travelled,  of  starting  in  as  instructor,  for  the  knowledge  of 
University  Extension  work  on  the  part  of  candidates  for  college 
positions  will  constitute  a  valuable  recommendation  to  boards  of 
trustees. 

Acting  on  this  belief,  the  American  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Teaching  has  decided  to  establish  a  University  Ex- 
tension Seminary  for  the  training  of  University  Extension  lec- 
turers and  organizers. 

It  will  be  under  the  direction  of  Professor  Edmund  J.  James, 
President  of  the  Society,  assisted  by  leading  university  men  of 
this  country  and  Europe. 

The  term  will  open  October  i,  1892,  and  last  until  June  i, 
1893.  The  price  for  tuition  will  be  fifty  dollars  per  year.  A 
certain  number  of  free  scholarships  will  be  awarded  to  suitable 
candidates. 

Members  of  the  Seminary  can  pursue  advanced  studies  for  the 
degrees  of  A.M.  and  Ph.D.  in  the  institutions  near  endugh  to 
Philadelphia  to  enable  them  to  attend  the  work  of  the  Seminary.* 

*  Arrangements  have  been  made  with  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  by 
which  members  of  the  Seminary  can  enter  that  institution  and  carry  on  such 
studies  for  the  higher  degrees  as  they  may  be  fitted  for.  It  will  thus  be  pos- 
sible for  the  graduate  student  to  enter  on  his  course  for  the  A.M.  or  Ph.D. 


Appendix  B.  291 

Each  member  of  the  Seminary  will  be  expected  to  prepare 
and  deliver  a  course  of  Extension  lectures  on  a  subject  to  be  se. 
lected  by  himself,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Director 
of  the  Seminary. 

It  will  be  possible  in  many  cases  to  secure  an  opportunity  to 
deliver  these  lectures  at  different  places  and  obtain  a  remunera- 
tion for  them.  In  the  case  of  mature  and  properly  qualified 
members  it  will  doubtless  be  possible  to  earn  enough  money  in 
this  way  to  defray  a  considerable  portion,  if  not  all,  of  the  year's 
residence.  No  guarantee  of  such  remuneration  is,  however, 
given,  and  no  one  is  advised  to  enter  the  Seminary  with  this 
expectation.  The  members  of  the  Seminar)  will  be  expected  to 
aid  in  the  work  of  the  Society  when  possible,  and  every  facility 
will  be  offered  them  to  make  themselves  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  theory  and  practice  of  University  Extension  work. 

A  certificate  will  be  given  at  the  end  of  the  year  to  properly 
qualified  members  who  have  complied  faithfully  with  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  the  Seminary. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  the  Society  that  no  one  can  do  the  best 
work  in  the  University  Extension  field  who  is  not  thoroughly 
interested  in  the  problems  of  education, — more  especially  of 
American  education.  The  University  Extension  lecturer  and 
organizer  should  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  whole  edu- 
cational system  of  the  country,  since  'only  in  this  way  can  he 
co-ordinate  his  work  with  that  of  the  other  educational  agencies 
in  the  field.  With  this  fact  in  view,. the  work  of  the  Seminary, 
aside  from  the  technical  subjects  relating  to  University  Exten- 
sion, will  be  devoted  to  a  thorough  examination  and  discussion 
of  modern  educational  problems. 

The  University  Extension  Seminary  will  thus  offer,  for  the  first 

immediately,  or  continue  it  if  he  has  already  begun  it.  A  deduction  in  tuition 
of  fifty  dollars  will  also  be  made  to  members  of  the  Seminary. 

Women  are  admitted  to  the  Graduate  Department  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  on  the  same  terms  as  men. 

For  further  information,  address  Dr.  Horace  Jayne,  Dean  of  the  Faculty 
of  Philosophy,  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia. 

It  is  hoped  that  similar  arrangements  can  be  made  with  other  institutions. 


2g  2     The  National  Conference  on  University  Extension. 

time  in  the  history  of  American  education,  an  opportunity  to 
the  teacher,  or  the  college  student  looking  forward  to  teaching, 
whether  in  public  or  private  school,  whether  in  college  or 
primary  grade,  to  prepare  himself  thoroughly  for  the  work  of 
educational  leadership  in  the  various  departments  of  our  national 
life.  The  man  or  woman  who  desires  not  merely  to  be  a  good 
teacher,  but  also  a  real  leader  in  educational  thought  and  action, 
will  find  here  an  opportunity  to  put  himself  in  touch  with  the 
latest  and  best  thought  on  educational  topics,  and  take  away 
with  him  not  merely  increased  knowledge,  but  a  deeper  insight 
and  wider  outlook  than  ever  before. 

Among  the  men  who  will  take  part  in  the  work  of  instruction 
may  be  mentioned :  Hon.  W.  T.  Harris,  United  States  Com- 
missioner of  Education ;  Dr.  James  MacAlister,  President  of 
the  Drexel  Institute;  Dr.  Charles  DeGarmo,  President  of 
Swarthmore  College;  Dr.  Isaac  Sharpless,  President  of  Hav- 
erford  College ;  Professor  Simon  N.  Patten,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania ;  andj  Rev.  Hudson  Shaw,  of  Oxford  Univer- 
sity, England. 

The  following  courses  have  already  been  arranged  for,  and 
others  will  be  announced  later  : 

1.  Educational   Administration. — Professor  Edmund  J.  J     est 

Ph.D. 

2.  Educational  \fa2\s.-Professor  Simon  N.  Patten,  Ph.D. 

3.  Science  of  Instruction. — President  Charles  DeGarmo,  Ph.D., 

of  Swarthmore  College. 

4.  English  Educational  Institutions  and  their  Lessons  for  us. — 

President  Isaac  Sharpless,  Ph.D.,  of  Haverford  College. 

5.  The  Place  and  Function  of  the  Normal  School  in  American 

Education.— Principal   George  M.   Philips,  Ph.D.,    State 
Normal  School,  West  Chester,  Pa. 

For  further  information  as  to  the  Seminary,  address 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  SEMINARY, 
Fifteenth  and  Chestnut  Streets, 

Philadelphia. 


UBI7ERSIT7 


Honorary  President,  William  Pepper,  M.D.,  LL.D. 

President,  Treasurer,  Gen'l  Secretary, 

Edmund  J.  James.  Frederick  B.  Miles.  George  Henderson. 

THE  AMERICAN  SOCIETY. 

THE  American  Society  for  the  Extension  of  University  Teaching  was 
founded  in  response  to  a  deeply-felt  want  for  a  National  Association 
which  might  assist  in  promoting  the  work  of  University  Extension. 
The  friends  of  popular  education  feel  that  the  time  has  come  for  a  better 
utilization  of  the  facilities  for  instruction  which  are  to  be  found  in  our  ex- 
isting educational  institutions. 

Experience  has  shown  that  this  object  is  accomplished  with  great  measure 
of  success  by  the  movement  popularly  known  as  University  Extension.  The 
results  of  this  system  in  several  countries — notably  in  England  and  the 
United  States — have  attracted  much  attention,  and  its  merits  are  now  widely 
known. 

The  American  Society  has  a  twofold  work.  It  is,  in  the  first  place, 
collecting  information  as  to  the  progress  of  the  movement  in  all  countries, 
and  making  it  accessible  through  its  monthly  journal  to  all  interested  in  this 
system  of  instruction.  In  the  second  place,  it  is  carrying  on  in  not  less  than 
six  States,  nearest  its  General  Offices,  an  object  lesson  in  Extension  teaching 
for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  country.  Slowly  and  carefully  it  is  testing  the 
various  elements  of  the  system  and  adapting  them  to  American  conditions, 
and  at  the  same  time  solving  one  after  another  the  difficult  problems  of  the 
work  in  the  training  of  lecturers,  the  sequence  of  courses,  and  the  financial 
support  of  centres. 

To  do  this  work  efficiently  will  require  large  funds.  The  only  sources 
of  income  at  present  are  the  fees  of  members  (55 -Oo  annual  fee,  $50.00  life- 
membership  fee)  and  the  voluntary  contributions  of  friends  of  the  movement. 
You  are  cordially  invited  to  become  a  member  of  the  Society,  and  to  present 
its  claims  to  your  friends  and  acquaintances  who  are,  or  should  be,  interested 
in  the  work.  A  national  movement  like  this  can  only  succeed  when  the 
people  take  hold  of  it  in  earnest,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  colleges  on  the 
other. 

The  membership  fee  and  all  other  contributions  may  be  sent  by  postal 
order  or  draft  on  Philadelphia,  or  by  draft  on  New  York,  payable  to  the  order 
of  Frederick  B.  Miles,  Treasurer  of  the  American  Society  for  the  Extension 
of  University  Teaching,  Fifteenth  and  Chestnut  Streets,  Philadelphia. 


UNIVERSITY    EXTENSION. 

A  Monthly  Journal,  giving  full  information  as  to  the  methods  and  results 
of  Extension  teaching  in  all  countries,  with  special  reference  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  movement  in  the  United  States. 

Yearly  Subscription,  $1.50.  Single  Numbers,  15  Cents. 

Vol.  I.— July,  1891,   to  July,   1892— will  be  issued  in  full  black   cloth 
binding  at  ONE  DO1X.AR.     BJEADY  JUNE  FIFTEENTH. 

Address  UNIVERSITY   EXTENSION, 

i5th  and  Chestnut  Sts.,  Philadelphia. 

Jt&-  Send  for  list  of  publications  of  The  American  Society. 


UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 


JULY, 
1891. 


AUGUST, 
1891. 


SEPTEMBER, 
1891. 

OCTOBER, 

1891. 

NOVEMBER, 
1891. 

DECEMBER, 
1891. 

JANUARY, 

1892. 

FEBRUARY, 
1892. 

MARCH, 
1892. 

APRIL, 
1892. 


CONTENTS  : 

THE  AMERICAN  SOCIETY. 

THE  FUNDAMENTAL  DISTINCTIONS  BETWEEN  ELEMENTARY. 

AND  HIGHER  INSTRUCTION. 
THE  ENDOWMENT  OF  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 
THE  HISTORY  OF  A  BRANCH  SOCIETY. 
THE  FORMATION  OF  A  LOCAL  CENTRE. 
NOTES. 
CURRENT  LITERATURE. 

THE  PROSPECTS  OF  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  ENGLAND. 

AMERICAN  WOMEN  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

EXTENSION  TEACHING  AT  BROWN  UNIVERSITY. 

WHAT  is  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  ? 

WHY  TEACHERS  SHOULD  BE  INTERESTED  IN  UNIVERSITY 

EXTENSION. 
NOTES. 
THOUGHTS  ON  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  THE  SOUTH. 

THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

UNIT  COURSE. 

OXFORD  ANNUAL  REPORT. 

NOTES. 

THE  OXFORD  SUMMER  MEETING  OF  1891. 

SUMMER  SCHOOLS  IN  BOTANY. 

STUDENTS'  ASSOCIATIONS  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN 

NOTES. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  VALUE  OF  EUROPEAN  HISTORY. 
RECENT  DEVELOPMENTS  IN  ENGLAND. 
THE  LOWELL  INSTITUTE  IN  BOSTON. 

INTRODUCTION  TO  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  STUDY  OF  POLIT- 
ICAL ECONOMY. 
SOME  TYPICAL  COURSES. 
NOTES. 

THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE. 

THE  SHAM  AND  THE  REAL  IN  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  STUDY  OP 

POLITICAL  ECONOMY. 

THE  ENGLISH  MINERS  AND  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 
UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  COLLEGES. 
NOTES. 

A  STEP  FORWARD. 

THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  LECTURER.— I. 

THE  UNIVERSITIES  AND  THE  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS. 

ECONOMICS. — I. 

THE  IDEAL  SYLLABUS. 

NOTES. 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION,  WHY? 

THE  EDUCATION  OF  CITIZENS. 

THE  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  LECTURER.— II. 

ECONOMICS.— II. 

NOTES. 

THOUGHTS  FROM  THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE. 

THE  CHICAGO  SOCIETY  FOR  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

THE  CLEVELAND  SOCIETY  FOR  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  THE  SOUTHWEST. 

ECONOMICS. — III. 

NOTES. 

UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  IN  NEW  YORK. 

CLASS  WORK  IN  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION. 
EXTENSION  TEACHING  IN  WISCONSIN. 
UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  WORK  IN  MATHEMATICS. 
AN  UNKNOWN  QUANTITY  AND  THE  POSSIBLE  VALUE. 
NOTES. 


UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  SYLLABI. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  syllabi  thus  far  published  by  the 
American  Society.  They  are  all  arranged  for  six  lectures,  except 
those  marked  thus  *.  They  may  be  had  post-free  upon  receipt 
of  the  price,  and  may  be  ordered  by  the  numbers. 

No.  3.    Milton's  Poetic  Art $o  10 

5.  Story  of  Faust 10 

6.  Electricity 10 

7.  Shakespeare's  Tempest,  with  Companion  Studies 10 

8.  Psychology 10 

9.  Stories  as  a  Mode  of  Thinking 10 

10.    Euripides  for  English  Audiences 10 

12.     Four  Studies  in  Shakespeare 10 

15.  Animal  Life.    Considered  as  a  Part  of  Universal  Energy 10 

16.  Modern  Essayists 10 

17.  Mathematics  with  Application  to  Mechanics 10 

19.  American  Literature 10 

20.  Algebra  * 15 

21.  Botany ;  Structural 10 

22.  Geology  and  Paleontology.     Part  I 20 

No.   i.    Political  History  of  Europe  since  1815.    Part  I.    1815-1848 10 

Part  II.    1848-1881     ....  10 

'     2.    Constitution  of  the  United  States 10 

1      3.     English  Literature — Chaucer  to  Tennyson 10 

4.  Epochs  in  American  History.     1620-1892 10 

5.  Europe  Finds  America 10 

6.  Civil  Development  of  the  United  States 10 

7.  Mathematics  as  Applied  to  Mechanics  * 20 

8.  Representative  American  Authors 10 

9.  Earlier  Plays  of  Shakespeare     10 

10.  English  Literature — Chaucer  to  Tennyson 10 

11.  Political  Economy 10 

12.  Modern  Novelists '  .   .   .  10 

13.  Central  Europe  in  the  Nineteenth  Century 10 

14.  Typical  English  Poets 10 

15.  Modern  Industrial  History 10 

16.  Poets  of  America 10 

17.  Dynamical  Geology.    Part  I 10 

Part  II 10 

18.  Economic  Condition  of  the  People  of  the  United  States,  between 

1789  and  1816 10 

19.  American  Literature 10 

20.  English  Literature  in  the  Nineteenth  Century 10 

21.  Structural  Botany 20 

22.  The  Brook  Farm  Community 10 

23.  Electricity 10 

24.  Prose  Fiction  in  America 10 

25.  The  Strength  of  Materials 10 

26.  Political  Economy.    (With  an  outline  of  reading.) 10 

27.  American  History — Administration  of  Government 10 

28.  Robert  Browning 10 

29.  Studies  in  English  Poetry  of  the  Nineteenth  Century 10 

30.  The  Modern  View  of  Energy 10 

31.  English  Poets  of  the  Revolution  Age 10 

32.  A  Bird's-eye  View  of  European  History,  from  the  Battle  of  Mara- 

thon to  the  Fall  of  the  Eastern  Empire 10 

33.  Literature  of  the  Queen  Anne  Period 10 

34.  History  and  Theory  of  Money.    (With  an  outline  Course  of  Study.)  40 

35.  Plant  Forms  and  Plant  Functions.     Parts  I  and  II.     (With  out- 

line Course  of  Study.) 20 

36.  The  Renaissance.     Historically  Considered 15 

37-    Light 15 

38.  Shakspere.    The  Man  and  his  Mind 15 

39.  Revolutions  in  Commerce 10 

40.  Socialism— Past,  Present,  and   Future.     (With  outline  Course  of 

Study.) .  20 

41.  The  Change  in  Political  Economy.    (With  outline  Course  of  Study.)  20 

42.  The  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible 10 


UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION 

Books  and  Pamphlets. 

Any  of  the  following  publications  will  be  sent  post-free 
upon  receipt  of  the  price.  They  may  be  ordered  by  the 
numbers. 

B^"  A  package  containing  pamphlets,  specimen  syllabi,  and 
copies  of  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION,  giving  a  fairly  complete 
idea  of  the  whole  movement,  will  be  sent  post-free  upon  receipt  of 
$1.00. 

1.  Proceedings  of  The  First  National  Conference,  containing  in  full  all  the 

addresses  and  reports,     (pp.  292.)     $i  50 

2.  An  Address  before  the  American  Society.    By  R.  G.  MOULTON,  Cambridge 

University  Extension  Lecturer,     (pp.  19.) 10 

3.  Lecturer's  Notes  on  the  Working  of  University  Extension.     By  R.  G. 

MOULTON.    (pp.  8.) 10 

4.  The  University  Extension  Movement  in  England  (1885).    By  R.  G.  MOUL- 

TON.   (pp.  61.) 20 

5.  University  Extension  :  Its  Definition,  History,  System  of  Teaching,  and 

Organization,    (pp.  8.) 10 

6.  What  should  be  the  Position  of  University  Extension?    By  SIDNEY  T. 

SKIDMORE.    (pp.  12.) 10 

7.  University  Extension  as  seen  by  a  Lecturer.    By  C.  HANFORD  HENDER- 

SON,   (pp.  15.) 10 

8.  Report  on  the  Movement  in  England.    By  GEORGE  HENDERSON,  General 

Secretary  of  the  American  Society,    (pp.  31.) 10 

9.  University  Extension  as  viewed  by  Prominent  American  Educators,    (pp. 

44-) 15 

10.  The  Development  of  the  University  Extension  Idea.     By  MICHAEL  E. 

SADLER,  Secretary  Oxford  Delegacy,    (pp.  20.) 10 

11.  The  University  Extension  Lecturer.    By  DR.  E-  J.  JAMES,  President  of 

the  American  Society,     (pp.  18.) 15 

12.  The  Function  and  Organization  of  a  Local  Centre.     By  MICHAEL  E. 

SADLER,    (pp.  8.) 10 

13.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  University  Extension.    By  MR.  WALTER  C.  DOUGLAS, 

General  Secretary  of  the  Philadelphia  Y.  M.  C.  A.     (pp.  7.) 10 

14.  The  Church  and  University  Extension.    By  the  REV.  DR.  J.  S.  MACIN- 

TOSH,   (pp.  7.) 10 

15.  The  Class  in  University  Extension.    By  MR.  EDWARD  T.  DEVINE,  Staff 

Lecturer  of  the  American  Society,    (pp.  6.) 10 

16.  The  Place  of  University  Extension  in  American  Education.    By  HON. 

WILLIAM  T.  HARRIS,    (pp.  14.) 15 

17.  The  First  Annual  Report  of  the  American  Society 15 


SPECIAU   JSLOTICH. 

HAND-BOOK  OF  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION  (being  Vol.  I., 
July,  iSgi-July,  1892,  of  UNIVERSITY  EXTENSION),  containing 
a  full  description  of  the  movement,  with  reports  of  experiments  in 
the  United  States  and  abroad.     Octavo.     416  pp.     Black  Cloth. 
READY  JULY  J.  PRICE,  $J.OO. 


NEW 


CHAMBERS'S  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Type,  New  Subjects,  JVeic  niustrntions, 
3Teu?  Maps. 


A   COMPLETE  DICTIONARY  OF  ART,  SCIENCE,  HISTORY, 
LITERATURE,   FABLE,   MYTHOLOGY,   BIOGRAPHY,  GEOG- 
RAPHY, ETC.    HANDSOMELY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  MAPS 
-  AND  NUMEROUS  WOOD-ENGRAVINGS  - 


Eight  Tolumes  now  ready.    The  two  remaining  volumes  to  be  issued  during  1892. 


Price  per  vol.  :    Cloth,  $3.00  ;  Cloth,  uncut,  $3.00  ; 
Sheep,  $4.00  ;  Half  morocco,  $4.50. 

"  Every  article  has  been  written  with  reference  to  the  needs  of  readers 
of  the  present  generation.  Not  only  are  latest  discoveries  in  science,  nat- 
ural history,  and  archaeology  to  be  found  in  it,  but  matters  of  a  purely 
temporary  and,  we  might  even  say,  local  importance  are,  in  many  cases, 
very  fully  treated.  A  similar  liberality  is  shown  in  the  illustrations,  par- 
ticularly in  the  department  of  Natural  History,  the  cuts  in  which  are 
numerous,  extremely  well  done,  and  well  printed. " — N.  Y.  Critic. 

"  '  Chambers's  Encyclopaedia'  is  a  publication  that  is  entitled  to  every 
consideration  as  an  educational  factor." — Philadelphia  Ledger. 

"' Chambers 's  Encyclopaedia,'  in  spite  of  the  claims  of  other  similar 
works,  still  continues  to  hold  its  own  as  a  standard  reference  for  the  home 
or  school.  The  new  revision  brings  its  articles  well  up  to  date,  and  intro- 
duces a  large  number  of  entirely  new  subjects.  No  expense  has  been 
spared  in  obtaining  the  co-operation  of  the  best  authorities  in  the  special 
lines,  and  the  result  is  a  complete  and  comprehensive  dictionary  of  useful 
knowledge.  '  Chambers's'  has  an  undisputed  title  to  be  considered  one  of 
the  most  accurate,  reliable,  convenient,  and  useful  encyclopaedias  now  on 
the  American  market." — Boston  Journal  of  Education. 

' '  All  who  are  interested  with  respect  to  persons  and  places,  questions 
of  art  and  religion,  politics  and  science,  and  who  in  these  busy  days  are 
anxious  to  find  the  latest  information  on  any  subject  lying  ready  to  hand, 
should  possess  themselves  of  these  volumes  as  they  are  published." — 
Liverpool  Mercury. 

Specimen  pages  mailed  free  to  any  address. 

J.   B.    LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY,  Publishers, 

715  and  717  Market  Street,  Philadelphia. 


COMPLETE   AND    AUTHORIZED 


EDITION   OF   THE  WORKS   OF 


WILLIAM   H. 
PRESCOTT, 

WITH   NOTES   BY  JOHN   FOSTER   KIRK, 


"  Mr.  Prescott  was  by  far  the  first  historian  of  America,  and  he  may  justly  be 
assigned  a  place  beside  the  very  greatest  of  modern  Europe.  Compare  what  he 
has  written  with  the  most  of  what  others  have  left  on  the  same  subjects,  and  Pres- 
cott's  superiority  beams  upon  you  from  the  contrast.  The  easy  flow  of  his  language 
and  the  faultless  lucidity  of  his  style  may  make  the  readers  forget  the  unremitting 
toil  which  the  narrative  has  cost ;  but  the  critical  inquirer  sees  everywhere  the 
fruits  of  investigation  rigidly  and  most  perseveringly  pursued,  and  an  impartiality 
and  soundness  of  judgment  which  give  authority  to  every  statement  and  weight  to 
every  conclusion."— GEORGE  BANCROFT. 


THE  STUDENTS  EDITION, 

Just  issued,  is  intended  to  meet  the  increasing  demand  for  such  standard 
authors  as  are  now  required  ,by  recent  courses  in  English  in  our  leading 
schools  and  colleges.  It  is  published  in  five  volumes,  with  illustrations  and 
maps  that  have  appeared  in  other  editions. 

SOLD   SEPARATELY,   $1.0O    PER   VOLUME. 

"  THE   CONQUEST  OF  MEXICO," 

"HISTORY  OF  FERDINAND  AND  ISABELLA," 

"  CONQUEST  OF  PERU,"   and   "MISCELLANIES," 
"  THE  REIGN  OF  CHARLES   V.," 

"  THE  REIGN  OF  PHILIP  IL" 

PER     SET : 

CLOTH,  $5.00;  HALF  CALF,  GILT  TOP,  $12. so; 

EXTRA  CLOTH,  GILT  TOP,  $6.25;  HALF  CALF,  MARBLED  EDGES,  $12.50. 


J 


.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY,   Publishers, 
715  and  717  Market  Street,  Philadelphia. 


LIPPINCOTT'S       B 

BIOGRAPHICAL 

DICTIONARY 


Memoirs  of  the  Eminent  Persons  of  all  Ages  and  Countries,  and 

Accounts  of  the  Various  Subjects  of  the  Norse,  Hindoo, 

and  Classic  Mythologies,  with  the  Pronuncia- 

tion of  their  Names  in  the  Different 

Languages  in  which  they 

occur. 


It  is  really  a  cyclopaedia  within  itself,  including  every  character  that 
has  strong  claims  to  our  notice,  either  from  public  notoriety  or  lasting 
celebrity,  and  from  it  may  be  gathered  a  knowledge  of  the  lives  of  those 
who  have  made  the  world's  history  famous. 

OPINIONS    OF  THE   PRESS. 

"  '  lyippincott's  Biographical  Dictionary,'  according  to  the  unanimous 
opinion  of  distinguished  scholars,  is  the  best  work  of  the  kind  ever  pub 
lished. " — Philadelphia  Ledger. 

"  No  other  work  of  the  kind  will  compare  with  it."— Chicago  Advance. 

"This  work  presents  a  very  wide  range  of  treatment,  great  compact- 
ness and  perspicuity,  wonderful  accuracy,  and  a  typographical  execution 
that  is  absolutely  perfect." — N.  Y.  Evemng  Post. 

"There  is  nothing  like  it  in  the  English  language.  ...  It  may  be 
fairly  esteemed  a  credit  to  the  age  and  country  which  have  produced  it." — 
Philadelphia  Press. 

TESTIMONY  OF  DISTINGUISHED  SCHOLARS. 

"  In  the  judicious  brevity  of  its  articles,  the  comprehensiveness  of  its 
selections  of  topics,  the  nice  exactness  in  matters  of  orthography  and  pro- 
nunciation, as  well  as  for  its  admirable  typography,  it  promises  to  take  a 
very  high  place  among  our  books  of  reference." — From  PROFESSOR  NOAH 
PORTER. 

"It  is  a  work  which  I  shall  be  glad  to  possess,  both  on  account  of  the 
fulness  of  its  matter,  and  because  the  pronunciation  of  names,  so  far  as  it 
can  be  represented  by  the  alphabet  of  our  language,  is  given.  The  work 
will  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the  books  of  reference  in  our  language." — 
From  WILLIAM  CULLEN  BRYANT. 

"It  is  universal  in  fact  as  in  name,  doing  like  justice  to  men  prominent 
in  science,  literature,  religion,  general  history,  etc.  The  author  knows  how 
to  put  a  large  number  of  facts  into  a  very  small  compass,  and  in  a  manner 
remarkable  for  system,  fairness,  precision,  and  easy  diction." — From  PRO- 
FESSOR JAMES  D.  DANA,  M.A.,  L,I,.D. 


***  For  sale  by  all  Booksellers,  or  will  be  sent  by  mail,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of 
the  price  by 

J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY,    Publishers, 

715  and  717  Market  Street,  Philadelphia. 


"The  complete  work  ought 
to  be  not  only  in  every  library, 
but  in  every  school  in  which 
English  literature  is  taught." 
— New  York  Nation. 


.   .   .   .  Supplement  to 

Allibone's 
Dictionary 


of  English  Literature  and  British  and 
American  Authors       


By  JOHN   FOSTER  KIRK. 

Two  volumes.  Imperial  8vo.  Nearly  1600  pages.  Cloth  binding, 
$15.00;  sheep,  $17.00;  half  Russia,  $20.00;  half  calf  or  half  mo- 
rocco, $22.00. 

"We  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  our  conviction  that 
it  is  by  far  the  most  satisfactory  work  of  the  kind  with  which 
we  are  acquainted.  It  is  ample  in  its  information  ;  it  is  accu- 
rate to  a  degree  very  rarely  attained  ;  it  is  catholic  as  to  the 
persons  included ;  and  it  is,  with  all  this,  eminently  readable." 
— London  Saturday  Review. 

"Mr.  Kirk's  volumes  contain  not  only  the  results  of  the 
years  of  painstaking  labor  directed  to  the  task  in  hand,  but 
also  show  the  work  of  a  life  spent  in  literary  studies,  and  that 
scholarship  of  the  very  highest  order  of  excellence  has  been 
used  in  perfecting  and  completing  a  book  that  is  now  more 
than  ever  valuable  to  every  one  who  needs  a  reference  hand- 
book for  the  names  and  works  and  life  of  all  who  have  con- 
tributed to  the  vast  stores  of  English  literature. '  '—Philadelphia 
Public  Ledger. 

.  .  Allibone's  Dictionary  and  Supplement  .  . 

Complete  in  Five  Volumes. 

The  entire  work  containing  the  names  and.  history  of  over  83,000 
authors.  Cloth,  $37.50;  sheep,  $42.50;  half  Russia,  $50.00;  half  calf, 
$55.00  ;  half  morocco,  $55.00. 

"It  can  hardly  be  doubted  that  Allibone's  Dictionary  of 
English  Literature  and  British  and  American  Authors,  taken 
as  a  whole,  embracing  as  it  does  in  its  original  three  volumes 
the  names  of  over  46,000  authors,  and  in  its  Supplement  those 
of  37,183  authors — with  notices  of  their  several  hundred 
thousand  books— will  long  remain  without  a  rival  as  a  bibli- 
ography of  the  literature  of  the  English  tongue." — Boston 
Literary  World. 

"  No  dictionary  of  the  authors  of  any  language  has  ever 

before  been  undertaken  on  so  grand  a  scale.    For  convenience 

and  trustworthiness  this  work  is  probably  not  surpassed  by 

any  similar  production  in  the  whole  range  of  modern  litera- 

•     ture." — New  York  Tribune. 


J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY, 


Publishers 


715  and  717  Market  St.,  Philadelphia. 


***  For  sale  by  all  Bock- 
sellers,  or  will  be  sent, 
post-paid,  on  receipt  of 
the  price. 


WORCESTER'S  DICTIONARY 

Is  the  standard  authority  on  all  questions  of  orthography,  pronunciation,  or 
definition,  and  is  so  recognized  by  all  the  colleges  of  the  country,  by  the 
principal  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and  by  such  leaders  of  American 
thought  as  Phillips  Brooks,  Edward  Everett  Hale,  George  Bancroft,  Oliver 
Wendell  Holmes,  Irving,  Marsh,  Agassiz,  Henry,  etc.  leading  book -pub- 
lishers recognize  Worcester  as  the  highest  authority,  and  millions  of  school- 
books  are  issued  every  year  with  this  great  work  as  the  standard. 


WORCESTER'S  WORCESTER'S  NEW 

ACADEMIC  DICTIONARY. 

SCHOOL 

COMPREHENSIVE  DICTIONARY.  DICTIONARIES. 

Adopted  and  used  in 

New  York    City,   Philadelphia,  Boston,   Cambridge,  Chicago,  St   I<ouis, 

Worcester,  I^owell,  Salem,  Washington,  and  hundreds  of  cities  and 

towns  throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada.    Recently 

adopted  for  North  Carolina,  West  Virginia,  and  Virginia. 

WORCESTER'S    NEW    ACADEMIC    DICTIONARY 

Is  designed  especially  for  the  use  of  the  higher  schools  and  seminaries  of 
learning,  but  is  well  adapted  in  its  scope  and  range  to  the  needs  of  families 
and  individuals. 

The  distinctive  feature  of  the  book  is  its  treatment  of  the  etymology  of 
words.  In  no  other  work  of  its  size  and  class  (so  far  as  is  known  to  the 
editors)  is  there  anything  approaching  it  in  fulness  and  completeness  in 
this  regard. 

Printed  from  entirely  new  plates.     688  pages.    264  Illustrations. 

WORCESTER'S    NEW    COMPREHENSIVE    DICTIONARY 

Contains  a  full  vocabulary  of  48,000  words.  The  design  has  been  to  give  the 
greatest  quantity  of  useful  matter  in  the  most  condensed  form,  to  guard 
against  corruptions  in  writing  and  speaking  the  language,  to  adapt  the 
work  to  the  use  of  the  higher  schools  and  seminaries  of  learning,  and  also 
to  make  it  a  convenient  manual  for  families  and  individuals. 

Printed  from  entirely  new  plates.    688  pages.    577  Illustrations. 


For  sale  by  all  Booksellers.    Circulars  sent  on  application  to  the  Publishers. 

J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY, 

715  AND  717  MARKET  ST.,  PHILADELPHIA. 


READER'S  REFERENCE  LIBRARY 

Ten  volumes.    Crown  8vo.    Half  morocco,  gilt  top, 
in  box,  $26.00. 


Each  volume  sold  separately,  as  follows  : 
BREWER'S  HISTORIC  NOTE-BOOK. 

A  Dictionary  of  Historic  Terms  and  Phrases.     Crown  8vo.     Half  mo- 
rocco, $3.50. 

THE  WRITER'S  HAND-BOOK. 

A  Guide  to  the  Art  of  Composition  and  Style.    $2.50. 

BREWER'S  READER'S  HAND-BOOK  OF  FACTS,  CHARAC- 
TERS, PLOTS,  Etc~ 

$3-50. 
BREWER'S  DICTIONARY  OF  PHRASE  AND  FABLE. 

Giving  the  Origin,  Source,  and  Derivation  of  Twenty  Thousand  Com- 
mon Phrases.    $2.50. 

BREWER'S  DICTIONARY  OF  MIRACLES. 

Imitative,  Realistic,  and  Dogmatic.    $2.56. 
EDWARDS'S  WORDS,  FACTS,  AND  PHRASES. 

A  Dictionary  of  Curious,  Quaint,  and  Out-of-the-Way  Matters.    $2.50. 
WORCESTER'S  COMPREHENSIVE  DICTIONARY. 

Revised,  Enlarged,  and  Profusely  Illustrated.    $2.50. 
RQGET'S  THESAURUS. 

A  Treasury  of  English  Words.     Classified  and  Arranged  so  as  to  facili- 
tate the  expression  of  Ideas  and  assist  in  Literary  Composition.    $2.50. 

ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  FAMILIAR  QUOTATIONS. 

From  Greek,  Latin,  and  Modern  Languages.    $2. 50. 
SOULE'S  ENGLISH  SYNONYMES. 

A  Dictionary  of  Synonymes  and  Synonymous  or  Parallel  Expressions. 
$2.50.  

*%  For  sale  by  all  Booksellers,  or  will  be  sent  free  of  expense,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY,    Publishers, 

715  AND  717  MARKET  STREET,  PHILADELPHIA. 
OF  THB        ^^V 


FFB 


NOV 


Jflf 


S929 


27Ja'59Wj 


3  1968  70 


JAN 


16  1< 


00 


or  (A." 

I  •**:.'  .3 

@       **•      o 


APR  2  3  1994 


SCHRC    MAR 25 "94 


SOm-7,'16 


U.C.BERKELEY  LIBRA 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  IvIBRARV* 


